 Comm. Ave. buses were approved as shuttles to grocery outlets on Sundays.
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Thanks to a recent initiative of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), the task of grocery shopping as a BC student just got easier. Undergraduates no longer have to carry their grocery sacks down Hammond Street, or dig through their pockets to find fare for the T. Starting on March 16 and continuing on Sundays throughout the semester, a BC bus will make trips to the Star Market on Beacon Street free of charge.
Though the administration initially rejected the idea of having regular shuttles to the grocery store, the UGBC funded four trial runs to the Star Market during the first semester to evaluate the demand and popularity of the grocery shuttles. For transportation, the UGBC rented Boston Coach vans, and over the course of the four Sundays, spent about $2,500, approximately $650 each week. With over 75 students making use of the service every Sunday it was offered, the UGBC found success and looked to make the buses a permanent fixture at BC. On the fourth trial run, the largest number of students signed up for the trip only to find the Boston Coach van absent at the scheduled time of arrival. Even with this obstacle, the UGBC found the project feasible and thought it a worthwhile venture to solidify plans to sponsor the grocery trips.
Michael Bisanz, executive director of student life for the UGBC and A&S '08, assisted with the proposal and execution of the grocery shuttle service. In order to assess the logistics of cost, efficiency, and student participation each Sunday, students utilizing the shuttle completed surveys to inform the UGBC of where they lived on campus as well as their previous experiences and methods of transportation to local grocery stores. "We found that most of those who were taking the shuttle had previously taken the T to the store," Bisanz said. Bisanz and other members of the UGBC compiled spreadsheets and the survey results to present to the administration as well as to the Transportation and Parking Manager, Paul Cappadona. "There was a need, and the students came to me with a request," Cappadona said. Though there are established routes for the BC buses, Cappadona investigated the prospect of using one for the grocery shuttles. At a UGBC vice president meeting, Cappadona announced that the plans for the BC grocery shuttle were approved.
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