UW Parking and Transit intends to reintroduce the LaramieLink bus route in summer 2022.
“Our staffing is slowly coming back as well as our ridership. If all goes according to plan, we plan to resume the LaramieLink bus route during the summer of 2022, including regular service to the Visual Arts,” Paul Kunkel, the Director of Transportation Services, said.
Amidst the pandemic, UW Parking and Transit elected to reduce the LaramieLink bus route to a dial-a-ride service that could be accessed through an advertised phone number or the TransLoc app.
“Not everyone has a car with 4-wheel drive and a lot of students coming from out of state may be inexperienced with driving in snow and ice,” Emma Sullivan, a senior studying art history, said.
After this regular service was suspended, many classroom buildings on the outskirts of campus were left without consistent public transportation for students and staff.
One such location left with an out-of-service stop was the Visual Arts building.
“Since there is no regular bus service to the Visual Arts stop due to the service being converted to dial-a-ride, there is no real time arrival information,” Kunkel said. “You can, however, dispatch a van or bus to the Visual Arts location using the TransLoc app and get arrival information that way.”
Prior to the pandemic, a LaramieLink bus arrived at the Visual Arts Building every thirty minutes. This stop was only utilized for a few months before most of UW’s transportation went under.
The bus stop sign outside of the Visual Arts building today only advertises LaramieLink dial-a-ride services, SafeRide, and the TransLoc app.
“I live across town and the only way I can get to the art department now is by car,” Sullivan said. “My car isn’t always reliable, and it would be really nice to have an option to take a campus bus to the building.”
Tracey Eckersley, a visiting Assistant Professor of Art History, doesn’t use a car and relies on UW public transportation to get around campus.
Prior to transit shutdowns, she mostly rode the LaramieLink bus. She now utilizes the Campus Commuter and the LaramieLink dial-a-ride service.
After catching the Campus Commuter, Eckersley has to allow time in her schedule for the walk between Arrowhead Lane and the Visual Arts building.
“I also know that my students would have an easier time commuting between the Visual Arts building and other classes on campus if they knew the bus was running on a reliable schedule,” Eckersley said.
While her past experiences have proven the dial-a-ride service largely consistent, shift changes and unexpected rush hours can leave her waiting for up to an hour.
“I have had to hire someone to drive me between buildings when I only have 15 minutes to get from one end of campus to another because I cannot be guaranteed a ride,” Eckersley said.
“I would love to see the bus return, though I know that the Laramie Link was often underutilized,” Eckersley said. “I would spend more time on campus and in the building, especially when the weather is bad.”
For tips on how to drive on Laramie roads in the winter, click here.
