New Campus Connectors are smaller, with more amenities
Students returning to VCU may have to look twice when trying to catch the campus connector. VCU is no longer using the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) as its main mode of transportation for students.
Photo by Amber-Lynn Taber
Amir Vera
Contributing Writer
Students returning to VCU may have to look twice when trying to catch the campus connector. VCU is no longer using the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) as its main mode of transportation for students.
On June 26, the school signed a five-year contract with Groome Transportation in order to make it easier for the students to identify VCU transit services. The switch from GRTC to the smaller Groome buses began on July 1.
“(VCU) wanted a more customized service,” said Vince Groome, president of Groome Transportation. “They wanted to customize it to fit the needs of the students, parents and faculty.”
The new fleet of buses will run like GRTC, coming every 10-15 minutes to various stops around campus Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 2 a.m. and weekends 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Unlike the GRTC buses though, students will be able to keep track of where the new Campus Connectors are. According to Robin Mack, assistant manager of the Office of Parking and Transportation, there will be a new GPS application for mobile devices that will be introduced Nov. 1 so students can easily identify the location of a bus.
“You will be able to see when the buses are arriving at the stops using the new mobile app or the LED screens posted at major stops,” Mack said.
While the buses have new custom routes and are more easily identified, they are somewhat smaller than GRTC’s buses.
According to GRTC officials, the old buses that ran between campuses could hold up to 47 passengers. The new Groome buses, according to Vince Groome, can only hold up to 32 passengers.
“Some customers have expressed concerns about the size of the buses,” Mack said. “However, we have been extremely responsive and added buses when needed. We also think the increased frequency and reliability of this new service will be a huge asset.”
The current Groome buses are temporary. According to Mack, a new fleet of larger buses will be arriving on campus Nov. 1, each of which will hold up to 34 passengers. CT
