Reporter Online | Tag: Transportation

SG Update: 10.14.2011

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Downtown Bus Pilot Approved

by Alex Rogala

On Friday, October 7, the Student Government Senate resumed a September 30 discussion of potential bus route expansions.

Previously, the Senate agreed to expand the weekend bus programs to cover Rochester’s East End in a pilot program lasting from January to May 2012. The route would run on Saturday nights from approximately 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and would encourage safe transportation between RIT and the Rochester nightlife.

While the Senate agreed on providing transportation to the East End, they were divided over creating a new route or adding stops to the RIT weekend shuttle, which runs between RIT and Henrietta’s local shopping district. While adding stops to the shuttle would displace certain stops during night hours, it would eliminate the 20,000 cost to use a separate bus for the test run.

College of Science Senator Wesley Wander expressed concerns that changes to the weekend shuttle could impact student workers at Marketplace Mall, who may be dependent on the route. Wander stated that a route used by student workers should take precedence over a “party bus,” saying, “A bus running that late would be specifically for drinking; nothing else is open that late in downtown Rochester.”

Conversely, College of Applied Science and Technology Senator Christian Fortuna expressed concern over where funding for the pilot would originate. SG President Greg Pollock responded, saying RIT has money allocated for various programs like this. However, he also stated that if the test were successful, SG would need to discuss where funding for the permanent route would come from.

In order to decide which option to pursue, SG held two votes. The first was to determine whether RIT should expand bus systems to cover Rochester’s East End, while the second was to decide if a new route should be created instead of amending the weekend shuttle route. Both passed unanimously.

SG Update: 09.30.2011

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

by Amanda Imperial

PARKING AND TRANSPORATION

During the senate meeting Friday, September 23, Randy Vercauteren, director of Parking, Transportation and Building Services and Adam Petzold, manager of Parking Special Events, discussed statistics and upcoming changes to Parking and Transportation Services. The most beneficial improvement to parking is a new anti-tow program. If an unregistered car is found parked on campus three times, it will have a tire locked with a wheel boot, rather than be towed. This will save violators time and money as it eliminates towing fees. Other programs Vercauteren and his staff are looking into creating include a car-sharing program such as Zipcar, and a ride-sharing program that is currently going through the approval process with the Genesee Transportation Council.

Vercauteren also stated that his staff is working with ITS to develop an application that will provide mobile access to bus schedules. The system could eventually include GPS information on bus locations and movement.

Other improvements Vercauteren said he would like to see include covered walkways between G lot and Frank E. Gannett Hall (GAN, 7B) for protection from harsh winter weather, as well as increased lighting along bikeways and walkways.

THE LINK: STUDENT GUIDED CHANGE

Student Government and Student Affairs recently began an online project known as The Link, a program that tracks changes the Institute has made in response to student input. According to the website, “The feedback gathered supports decision-making in explicit ways, such as snack selection in vending machines, and is embedded in broader university business, such as identification of strategic initiatives. Though we understand the value of your input, you may be unaware of how it can guide decision-making and change.”

To learn more about The Link and its objectives, visit http://rit.edu/thelink

News Desk 11.12.10

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:31:05 -0500

A new NTID president welcomed. Dorm Challenge reinstated. GeneSIS effort commenced.

by Christina Belisle, David Keith Gasser, Amanda Imperial

Brick Beat

NTID Chooses New President

The search is over. After a year and 18 candidates, the National Technical Institute of the Deaf has a new president. Gerard Buckley will assume the role of the 1,500 plus student college in January. Alan Hurwitz, the prior president, left last January to become the president of Gallaudet University. James DeCaro served as the interim president while the school searched for a replacement.

Buckley is an NTID alumnus. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree for social work in 1978. He received his master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri and obtained a doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas.

Buckley told “50 in 52 Journey” in a video interview two years ago that NTID changed his life. Growing up, he felt increasingly isolated as his hearing siblings found opportunities he couldn’t. “For me, coming here just opened doors. I found a career. I found a community. I found a culture, a language that just enriched my life.”

He has since spent 30 years working in the education field, and more than 20 of them have been at NTID.

GeneSIS Project Kicks Off

On October 1, the kick-off ceremony for the new Student Information System, dubbed the GeneSIS project, was held in the Vignelli Center (VIG, 7A). The morning event introduced the implementation partner for the project and the design philosophy that will be used.

Oracle Consulting Services will work with and guide RIT staff through the process of creating a new SIS. A representative from Oracle, who will be on the projects managing team, spoke of her company’s commitment to getting the GeneSIS project done on time and within budget.

RIT executive sponsors for the project were also present for the ceremony. Mary-Beth Cooper, vice president for Student Affairs and an executive sponsor, spoke about what they hope to accomplish. She said they are aiming for a product that “allows us to enhance the way we help students.”

The project centralizes information on students, staff, faculty and alumni throughout the different divisions of RIT. The database will allow for more efficient allocation of resources and end the duplication of records across campus.

Development on all parts of the project will be underway in 2011. The system is expected to be operational by 2012.

For more information visit http://www.rit.edu/genesis.

Dorm Challenge May Involve Shuttles

In the spring of 2009, RIT administrators were asked to live with students in the dorms. Student Government plans on conducting a similar experiment in late January. SG discussed plans for the next Dorm Challenge at their October 29 meeting.

This year, however, representatives hope faculty members - in addition to administrators - will join the roster of willing victims. The challenge might be redesigned so that participants must also experience the chaos of the RIT shuttle system. SG would like to have participants temporarily live at places such as Park Point, The Province or apartments downtown while experiencing the ins and outs of student life.

Students travel back and forth, to and from campus, to live their lives as part of the RIT community. This involves taking the time to plan accordingly - finding out when the bus leaves residences, when the bus gets to campus, where the bus stops are, etc. Taking public transportation also involves cramming into a bus already packed full of distressed students.

SG plans for participants to live off campus and, without the use of their personal vehicles, complete tasks such as making it to meetings, classes or lunch dates on time. The ultimate goal is to show faculty and administrators the weaknesses of the current transportation system, in hopes of bringing about improvements.

Semester Intersession Options

Katherine Mayberry, vice president for Special Projects, and Maureen Valentine, associate dean of the College of Applied Sciences and Technology, came to SG to discuss ideas for the intersession period of the coming semester system. Intersession will be a three-week period in January, between the two semesters of the converted academic year.

Mayberry and Valentine discussed three broad options to fill this period: credit-bearing courses, fun non-credit courses, and study abroad. Credit-bearing courses would be worth about three credits and would be an option for students who need to catch up, intend to get ahead or want to take a class outside of their major. Non-credit course options would include more enjoyable activities, such as taking a wellness course or working on an innovation project. Study abroad may last between three to five weeks, depending on whether or not a student wanted to spend the winter holidays abroad.

After this discussion, Valentine asked SG what other options should be made available to students during intersession. Ideas included: an alternative break for students who would like to participate in a community service project; tutoring mentorship programs; lab field experiences; training courses such as leadership; and workshops for things like rsum-building.

Corrections

An October 29, “News Desk” headline stated that the Institute of Health Science and Technology (IHST) will not be a school. The headline should have stated that the previously planned School of Health Science & Technology, a component of the IHST, will not be a school.

The October 29 “News Desk” incorrectly stated Apple’s FaceTime will be part of the iLife suite. It is a separate downloadable application.

Beyond the Bricks

Conservatives Win Big in Landslide Election

This year’s midterm election shook up the political order in Washington, D.C. Democrats lost their majority in the House to a projected tidal wave of 60 new Republican members. The Senate, meanwhile, barely remains in Democratic control. Power in the legislative branch has shifted in the past three consecutive elections.

Exit polls show Republican voters widely disapproved of President Barack Obama’s job performance, were far more likely to support the tea party, and more often described their financial situation as worse.

In a White House Press Conference the day after the election, Obama suggested that the divided system required compromise. “No one party will be able to dictate where we go from here,” he said. However, he continued to defend economic, health and social policies that were often cited by conservatives as reasons to defeat the Democratic majority.

Commentators have suggested that House Republicans will soon start investigations aimed at bloodying the Obama administration.

Despite the national trend, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Sen. Chuck Schumer were elected or re-elected in New York. Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy will be Cuomo’s lieutenant governor.

No More Happy Meal Toys

The Pokmon toys that we all remember getting in our Burger King Kids Meal might become a thing of the past, at least in San Francisco. On November 2, the city’s Board of Supervisors voted to give preliminary approval to a new law that bans the giveaway of free toys with children’s fast food meals if they do not meet certain nutritional requirements. If the bill is approved in the following week, it will become a law in December 2011.

In order to include toys in the meal, it must have fewer than 600 calories and 640 milligrams of sodium.No more than 35 percent of the calories can originate from fat; and it must also include a half-cup serving of fruit and a three-quarters cup serving of vegetables. The accompanying drink must be low fat and low sugar.

Fast food giant McDonald’s was “disappointed” by the decision.

How a Bill Becomes a Law


The legislative process can be more of a roadblock to proposals than an avenue of advancement; each step is designed to be a hurdle. Committees, votes and the president’s veto can kill bills. With a divided political landscape, consider this a road map of probable failures.
Ko Kawazoe

Parking Redesign

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:30:00 -0400

RIT considers parking garages.

by Andy Rees


Cars parked in G lot, September 26, 2007.
Dave Londres

Urban Design Plan Enters Third Stage

On April 14th and 15th, Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) held open focus groups presenting proposals made for improvements to parking and transportation on campus. The focus groups were held in cooperation with national consultants Martin Alexiou Bryson (MAB), a transportation and traffic engineering firm, and Cooper, Robertson & Partners (CRP), an urban planning firm. These latest proposals represent the third phase in a strategic planning initiative by PATS, to improve how students, faculty and staff move to and around campus. This third phase comes after open forums, held in March, where students and faculty were invited to share concerns and problems with the current systems.

With the growth of the RIT student population in mind, parking problems took the forefront of the discussion. According to MAB, RIT has run out of usable land for parking lots, citing RIT’s commitment to maintain a certain amount of wetland area. Among other options, MAB’s proposal for new parking garages received the most attention.

“Knowing that we had significant environmental constraints with building surface lots, the only way to meet that desire...is to consider parking garages,” said Paula Benway, Associate Director of PATS. “If you look at the future growth that the university will be undergoing in the next 5 to 10 years, we have some very difficult decisions to make. We’ll have a significant demand for additional parking and somehow or another, we’ll have to address that.”

Student reactions were mixed toward the idea of parking garages, with many concerned about the cost of garage spaces. “As a commuter student...I’m already poor...costs really add up,” said Aeryn Daboin, a fourth year New Media Design major. She noted that many of her friends already pay for reserved passes.

Other ideas presented at the focus groups included new bus lines, designed to better serve the demands of on-campus transportation. These lines would ferry students between apartment complexes and the center of campus. However, even with improved schedules and more convenient routes, some residential students, like Jonha Smith, a second year Illustration major living in a Colony Manor apartment, said they would still drive to class. “I just feel comfortable in my car,” said Smith, who says he bought a reserved pass.

CRP’s section of the presentation focused on the urban design aspect of the planning initiative. Their recommendations included landscaping features in parking lots to cut down on wind gusts, and how to better improve pedestrian flow on the Quarter Mile. One suggestion addressed the need for a more solid connection between the residential and academic sides of campus, with a new tunnel spanning the area between the Student Life Center and buildings 28 and 30.

The final proposal, the fourth phase of the initiative, will be presented to the RIT community in May, for review and critique, according to Benway. Once the community has made suggestions, PATS will begin drawing up a plan during the summer to present to the Administration.

Editor's Note: No Cars Go

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Laura Mandanas loves her car, but wishes she didn't need it.

by Laura Mandanas

Going to the car wash is one of my favorite activities. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures. For a few fleeting instants, I’m able to take my hands off the steering wheel, sit back, and stop worrying. It doesn’t matter that I’m the one in the driver’s seat; nothing is required of me for the next two and a half minutes. Soap surrounds the car, dirt washes away, and I emerge from the other end of the tunnel sparkling clean, feeling almost virtuous...especially as I look at all the filth caked onto the other cars I share the road with. In short: I love my car, and pretty much everything that goes with it.

That having been said, it costs me 50 to fill up my tank every week. With rent to pay, textbooks to buy, and groceries to purchase, believe me: if I thought it were possible, my car and I would have parted ways a long time ago. I’d be having my moments of zen in the shower or something. Traveling everywhere by car is an expensive habit, and it’s one that I’d rather not have to fund at this point. Unfortunately, I still need to get around, and RIT’s bus system far from meets my needs. As of right now, I really have no choice but to fork over the cash, grab the wheel, and make the best of it.

To date, my experience with the transportation services RIT provides has been very poor. Attempts to get off campus during my first two years at RIT met a red light at seemingly every turn; there was simply no good way for me to get into the city. Although I was able to make use of the “Golden Memories” shuttle bus which goes to the Marketplace Mall, the serpentine route it traveled on (in order to loop past the RIT Inn and various apartment complexes) meant that it took nearly an hour to get back to the dorms-usually more, since the bus always seemed to be running late. Not at all convenient. And if I wanted to venture any further than that? Well, I was just out of luck.

Flexcar provided a unique solution to this problem. Although I never used it myself (I moved off campus before it was available), it was encouraging to hear that RIT was taking action to address student concerns. Now that Flexcar seems to be reaching the end of the road, however, students will be stuck in the same situation as before.

Although I’ve heard some upperclassmen whisper of a bus which used to transport students downtown, this service has long since stopped; the bus’ main purpose was to give students a ride to the bars, and the Administration disapproved. Now, there is no system in place to allow on-campus students to go downtown, for the purpose of visiting the bars or otherwise. Considering the interesting attractions Rochester has to offer (movies at the Little Theatre, sushi at Village Gate, photography at the George Eastman House, etc.), this is a downright shame. I wasn’t even aware of most of these treasures until I had a car of my own-and why would I be, with no means of getting to them?

With construction for Park Point racing forward at near breakneck speed, I hope the Administration isn’t too proud to pull over and consult a map from time to time. Ask the students for directions. Here is what many of us will say: It’s great that there’s going to be something of a nightlife closer to campus, but that’s no excuse for not allowing us to travel off of it. We don’t need a hand to hold as we cross the street. We’re capable young adults, and we’re old enough to decide where we want to spend our Friday nights-whether that includes the bar scene or not. All we need now is a lift.

This is the perfect opportunity for RIT to overhaul its transportation system-specifically, the busing options that are available to students. Stop and think about it; surely, you have at least a few minutes to spare. Perhaps now would be a good time to go get your car washed.

Laura Mandanas
Editor in Chief

Car Rental Services to Change at RIT

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

New terms deemed unacceptable.

by Geoffrey H. Bliss


Dave Londres

In September of this year, RIT entered a contract with Flexcar, a company providing easy car rentals. However, after a few months of business, problems popped up in the program. Cars were mysteriously “unavailable” at all hours of the day, but still sitting in the parking lots.

After some deliberation, on October 30th, Flexcar executives announced a merger with a competitor, Zipcar. This seemingly minor change caused a considerable loss of jobs for employees working in Flexcar’s Seattle-based headquarters, as well as the creation of an even greater inconvenience for those accustomed to Flexcar, many of whom had to adjust their service plans.

Applicants to Flexcar were required to provide a valid driver’s license and be at least 18 years of age. Zipcar, on the other hand, requires that its members be at least 21 to join. Cars were able to be picked up by RIT students at predetermined locations by swiping their “flexcards” on the electronic activation mechanisms located on the dashboards of every vehicle. After the driver’s identity was recognized, they were free to drive as they pleased.

John G. Zink, Interim Assistant Vice President stated, “We wanted to provide this service for students for them to take advantage of Flexcar. This was very good to work with...offering over one million dollars in accident coverage.” Zink continued, “After Flexcar became Zipcar, they no longer honored the previous agreement. Zipcar expected more money and offered much less accident coverage. Zipcar provides 300,000 in accident protection. They were simply offering unacceptable terms. We also didn’t want to originally use Zipcar, because we knew Flexcar offered better terms. I can assure you that these numbers indicate a bad deal. They were not providing the proper protection for students.” However, RIT did not end relations with Zipcar. “We wouldn’t care to kill something which we ourselves spent so much time committing to getting on campus,” said Zink.

The reaction to removing Flexcar has resulted in varied opinions. Industrial Design student Julie Zempke said, “I’m a committee adviser for FYE, and one day, we were talking about first year students, the concept of Flexcar is great and age becomes a problem for students who want to get off campus. If it were here when I was a freshman, I would definitely use it.” Ken Krug, a Software Engineering major, agreed: “This is an appealing program for parents, who would be smart in signing up. However, Flexcar had its detractors as well. Rebecca Strauss said, “I thought about using it, but I would break even. I also don’t think it’s affordable. I’d prefer to have more extensive bus services.”

Zink did not rule out changing services. He said, “One thing I will explore, though, is to reach out to other options.”

It's What You Make of It

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Veena Chatti has no car, and she’s making the most of it.

by Veena Chatti


Greg Caggiano

Where there is a will, there is a way. Living close to Colony Manor and opposite Perkins, I’m proud to say that I’ve been tough enough to walk to all my classes and labs and wherever else I want to go, come hail or storm. I chose to live here to experience life off-campus. I chose to avoid driving. As per DMV rules, if I (as a foreign national) want a driver’s license in the US, it’s got to be from the DMV of the same state as the institute mentioned on my visa (RIT, in New York state), and I’ve got to “turn in” my “foreign driver’s license” so they can have it “destroyed.” Since I shall definitely be returning home and using that document, such clauses do not strike me as reasonable. And maintaining a vehicle in America can become quite the pain. If you’re always on the move, ready to hop onto a plane in the quickest of flashes, and unwilling to settle down anywhere for any duration of time, quickly getting rid of a vehicle becomes a hindrance. Presently, I like to live such that at any given point of time, I can pack everything in two large suitcases and be ready to permanently leave a place within a matter of hours, if I so choose. It’s simple and hassle-free.

I do not feel that not driving a vehicle in Rochester makes my life any less of anything. Yes, we all know how cold it is from November to April, we all experience frozen branches and slush and what not, but these things are only minor impediments if you’re spirited at life. If you’ve got the energy and are willing to think positively, this won’t stop you from enjoying RIT. Tell good friends to call you when they’re off to purchase groceries, but even if you can’t, the shuttle goes to Wegmans on weekends. Keep a well-stocked refrigerator. Plan wisely. Go out with at least one friend who will be returning to campus in a sober state. Most importantly, think positively. Life is what you make of it. Incidentally, so is the weather.

Friends always understand when it comes to drop-offs at the airport, because everyone, regardless of whether they drive, generally appreciates a lift to the airport. If any of the friends I’ve made in the U.S. were to come to India, they all know that they can always rely on me a 100 percent for any help they would need there, and I’d be more than happy to drive them through our frighteningly, haphazardly beautiful traffic and quirky zigzag roads to show them around. It is only natural to want to avoid inconveniencing people, but you would do the same for them without any hesitation whatsoever if they needed it. Yes, the apartments are far away from the academic side, but it is essentially a five-minute walk to the dorms. If you don’t find the prospect of walking through snow enthralling, why attend RIT?

The Institute cannot do anything to change weather conditions. It should really focus on ending the huge wastage it burdens the environment with: food waste, fuel waste, energy waste, paper waste... RIT’s efforts at being environmentally friendly look like a pathetic joke when compared to other campuses across this nation. An institute which can’t stop harping on about sustainability (or was it innovation? I forget) has got to have more to show for it than a green roof and a handful of hand dryers, and students whining about how far apart things seem to become in the cold only serve as another opportunity for RIT to be evasive when questioned about how it spends students’ fees.

Stuck in a Standstill

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Colony Manor is an island... and Madeleine Villavicencio is stranded on it.

by Madeleine Villavicencio


Greg Caggiano

When I first stepped into the two-bedroom Colony Townhouse assigned to me and my three roommates, I was in awe. It was more spacious than I could have ever imagined, at least compared to the dorm room I had been stuck in the previous year. As I unpacked all my belongings, tantalizing thoughts of cramming a drum set in the basement danced through my mind. Everything was going quite well and fall quarter progressed rather nicely, but the nearly perfect living situation came at a price. Eventually, I realized that Colony Manor was an island... and I was stranded on it.

It is difficult enough to get around Rochester without a vehicle to drive to buy food off campus, go to the movies, or make a run to Wegmans with. This problem was addressed by Flex Car; if you really needed to go somewhere, that option would always be present. Unfortunately, it would not be logical to rent a Flex Car every time your stomach rumbled.

If you live in the dorms, Perkins, or Riverknoll, you hardly have to walk far to get something to eat. Living in Colony and finding your refrigerator empty makes the situation a little trickier. Assuming you have the cash and your parents are not already spending money on a meal plan, you can order take-out food from your restaurant of choice. If you need to finish off your debit, you can order a plate of wings and a number of other items to fill the ten-dollar minimum to order food from the Commons for delivery. Either way, you’ll probably be spending more than you should, and have to wait longer. However, there is another option: You could choose to walk all the way to Commons through the wind and the rain and the wind and the snow just to purchase another Quiznos sub.

I suppose any two places on campus could be considered walking distance from each other, but Rochester weather hardly permits a walk that would not end with catching a bad cold or with slipping in a puddle or black ice and cracking your head open. It may sound lazy, but I am not too keen on walking to class every day when the surroundings are covered in snow or rain. For people like me, the bus would seem convenient, but RTS and I have a very frustrating love-hate relationship.

It began the very first day classes started, when I waited an hour and a half for the bus to simply pass me by. The stroke of bad luck continued when I ended up on the bus to Rustic Village and had to ask a roommate to come and pick me up. I need not mention the constant battle I face on Tuesday nights, wondering if I’m going to get out of the Reporter e-board meeting on time to catch the last bus at 9:25 p.m.

Students in similar situations probably encounter the same problems. It is difficult to get around when you do not want to inconvenience your friends and roommates and make them think that all they are to you is a driver. Maybe this will change for Colony students when Park Point is set up and fully functional. Until then, who is willing to be hired as my personal chauffeur?