Transportation to Verizon Center

[hoyaLS05]

I know this is something of a controversial issue on here, with those who think students should walk to Verizon on one end of the spectrum and those who want door-to-door bus service on the other.

But anyway, after two years of the AD supplying shuttles to the Metro and Metro cards, they're moving to just the shuttle to Roslyn. This comes three years after shuttle service was provided straight to Verizon.

The principle reason for the change is that with nearly 3500 student season ticket holders, the program has become prohibitively expensive.

Here is a brief with the facts: www.thehoya.com/node/17111

Here is the editorial board: www.thehoya.com/node/17105

Thoughts?

[TBird41]

I think, no matter what your opinion is on the metro passes/shuttles, that all can agree that the change was poorly communicated to students. Then again, I guess, what else is new?

[Filo]

I guess if I was still a student, I would be pretty PO'd. That's a lot of money in a pretty tough economy, though. I am wondering what the costs were to run all the school buses out to the Cap Center for games back in the "old times."

[Boz]

Nov 14, 2008 12:59:20 GMT -5 Filo said:

I guess if I was still a student, I would be pretty PO'd. That's a lot of money in a pretty tough economy, though. I am wondering what the costs were to run all the school buses out to the Cap Center for games back in the "old times."

Depends on how often they broke down.

Just kidding.

They always broke down.

[SFHoya99]

Nov 14, 2008 12:59:20 GMT -5 Filo said:

I guess if I was still a student, I would be pretty PO'd. That's a lot of money in a pretty tough economy, though. I am wondering what the costs were to run all the school buses out to the Cap Center for games back in the "old times."

I'm assuming also that they give passes for every game but that students don't go to every game. Which means a lot of tickets probably go unused for the reason they were given.

[sbgorms]

I am of a split mind. I understand the university deciding the cost of providing metro passes to students is not worth the benefit of increased student ticket sales and/or increased turnout at games. What I do not understand is the fact that this was not communicated clearly to students in advance of student ticket sales. Since transportation (in one form or another) has always been included with student season ticket sales, this is a fairly major policy shift that should have been clearly communicated and explained, and I do understand how students find this to be a bait and switch.

I guess it doesn't shock me that this communication or lack thereof occurred. As much as I love Georgetown, its PR/communications/marketing both internal and external tends to border on/embrace incompetence. The university should have clearly communicated while selling student season tix that metro passes were no longer included and why.

At this point, I am curious when the athletic department decided not to include metro passes (was it after season tickets were being sold?), and why it did not communicate it at that point in time.

[Jack]

Bait and switch? Perhaps a bit. How about this? Offer a full refund on their season tickets to anyone who feels they were misled and cannot afford the additional burden of Metro fare. I would predict no one would take them up on it.

[Kid Delicious]

Lets be real here. With 3500 student ticket holders and the cost at $130K. Charge each of the ticket holders an additional $40 for the season and the cost is covered. Bury it in the cost of the package and nobody cares. This should not be a big deal. they should be able to get a discount from the metro for buying these passes in bulk and keeping the traffic off the streets.

[PDRHoya99]

As someone who comes down firmly on the side of students walking both ways uphill in the snow to get to games, perhaps those upset should take an economics class and better understand supply and demand.

If Esh is the coach and NIT banners are being hung above urinals, the University is right to do everything in their power to encourage student attendance (because god knows it was low). Now that the team is successful and student season tickets are at an all time high, there is less reason to cajole the students into showing up. Clearly the game alone should be enough to get them to cough up $3 for metro fare, and I'd be pretty Editeded if my annual hoop club donations were used as a subsidy to encourage today's undergrads to attend games.

So, complain all you want about the super pricey trip downtown, but I would have gladly traded $3/game to enjoy the last 3 seasons of hoya hoops, as opposed to say 1998-2004.

[dajuan]

Why wouldn't the buses go to Dupont so students don't have to transfer lines or walk from Metro Center?

[HoyaChris]

Whether as a student, an alumnus or a parent of two current students I can state with absolute certainty that the one constant regarding Georgetown is its commitment to stark administrative incompetence. The failure to communicate this change in advance is, sadly, a tribute to this grand tradition.

[rosslynhoya]

I can't believe this veritable explosion of common sense is occurring within my own lifetime. /sniffle America IS a good country again!!!

[mrplow]

I agree with dajuan. it certainly can't take much longer to get to dupont than to rosslyn and as was mentioned, it is on the red line.

[sead43]

Nov 14, 2008 13:26:50 GMT -5 dajuan said:

Why wouldn't the buses go to Dupont so students don't have to transfer lines or walk from Metro Center?

i think it has to do with traffic and the residents not wanting the buses constantly rolling through the neighborhood. they've already forced a change to the route which the regular GUTS Bus takes to Dupont because of this.

[dajuan]

Well the Georgetown would have to go down Prospect St. to get to Roslyn or down Reservoir/Q to get to Dupont. Either way that bus is going down a road that is accustomed to WMATA bus traffic - and much more so for Reservoir/Q. So while I believe the residents may have complained, I don't believe that it's a real burden on the residents of Georgetown (of which I am a member).

[hoyabinx]

Nov 14, 2008 13:58:11 GMT -5 dajuan said:

Well the Georgetown would have to go down Prospect St. to get to Roslyn or down Reservoir/Q to get to Dupont. Either way that bus is going down a road that is accustomed to WMATA bus traffic - and much more so for Reservoir/Q. So while I believe the residents may have complained, I don't believe that it's a real burden on the residents of Georgetown (of which I am a member).

I am fairly sure with the new back entrance being finished, the buses can come out onto M/Foxhall (or whatever that road is called at that point) and take a left now. Making it a MUCH quicker way to get to Key Bridge then the old Prospect to 33rd nightmare.

And, I can understand the students being upset with the lack of communication, but to ask for a direct route all the way there like it used to be is to not understand the issues. It is not so much taking kids down there in waves, but bringing them back that is the problem. There is just not nearly enough space around Verizon to stage the amount of busses you would need right after the game. You are talking about 50 busses or so that would need to be there (at 50 students per bus, 2500 attending students). It would be a pretty epic cluster and VERY expensive. Not to mention it encourages students to leave the game early and act like cattle with madcow on the sidewalks, scrambling for a spot.

I say quick shuttles to Rosslyn is the most efficient way to do it. If you can't walk 3 blocks to Metro Center to get on the Orange/Blue there, I have zero sympathy for that type of laziness. And, if that sort of walk is an impediment to you attending a game, well.....

[jgalt]

buses run to dupont on their normal schedule during game days. the rosslyn route is advertised because they increase the bus load for the games. i find it easier to take the dupont bus and not the rosslyn route. with so many people going to the games the dupont route is a bit faster. though i am looking in to a bus route that will go from gtown to the booth to avoid the crowd which bothers me more than the speed i get back

[HoyaSinceBirth]

D6 goes from the front of the hospital to the verizon center. But then you're at the mercy of the bus system which isn't always reliable and the traffic can suck so it takes a while to get there by bus at rush hour.

[lichoya68]

can see all sides of this arguement but do agree as a shrink that communication IS key go hoyas go studs go hoya blue too SEE YOU MONDAY NITE ;D ;D

[jgalt]

Nov 14, 2008 15:49:09 GMT -5 HoyaSinceBirth said:

D6 goes from the front of the hospital to the verizon center. But then you're at the mercy of the bus system which isn't always reliable and the traffic can suck so it takes a while to get there by bus at rush hour.

rush hour had completely slipped my mind! i guess the bus is a no go for week day games i might try it on a week end, i have found the d6 (going from the hospital towards md) to be rather reliable.