UCLA has a massive transportation problem. Any member or visitor
of this great campus can tell you that. But as seen in “Be
creative with lack of parking,” (Nov. 22) most students have
given up any hope of the situation improving.
The problem is in large part due to the limits UCLA has on the
number of parking spaces and daily trips of people arriving or
leaving allowed, agreed upon with the city of Los Angeles.
With the new hospital opening, UCLA has agreed to keep the
existing parking limits until 2010, long after we will be gone.
While this could cause most to sulk with the feeling that
nothing will change, they are wrong. Not only are things changing,
but the situation is getting worse for students. But there is
something you can do about it.
BruinGo!, a fare-reduction program and agreement with the Big
Blue Bus and Culver City Bus lines, is under attack from our
neighbors on the Hilgard side of campus. BruinGo! is attempting to
expand ““ UCLA is trying to include the Metro this year
““ and our Hilgard neighbors are complaining to Councilman
Jack Weiss about the terrible and constant noise of the buses
traveling to the UCLA Transit Center by Murphy Hall.
They have been so successful that all bus lines using the
terminal have agreed to close the transit mall and instead drive on
campus at night. But this is not enough for the residents.
They are constantly lobbying for the transit center to be
closed, and they are gaining momentum. Soon, it would not be
surprising if the terminal permanently closed, causing students to
have to walk from Ackerman or farther to North Campus for classes,
research and work.
So far, students have been mostly quiet. The Undergraduate
Students Association Council has fought the closure, but we need
your help. E-mail and call your representatives to tell them you do
not want this transit center closed. Even if you are faculty or
staff, write to USAC and let us know. We can take these messages to
Weiss, just as our neighbors do, and fight the changes they wish to
impose upon us.
You can send these letters to the facilities commissioner or the
internal vice president or even directly to me, your representative
to Transportation Services at UCLA.
Things are getting better here; UCLA’s vanpool program has
won awards for being the oldest and best vanpool program in the
county. Additionally, a Bike Master Plan is currently being
developed to help make UCLA and the surrounding area more bike
friendly.
As mentioned above, we are trying to increase BruinGo! to
include the L.A. Metro bus lines. We can make UCLA better ““
all it takes is a voice. Send us your comments and we can make this
campus what you want it to be.
Vardner is the undergraduate Transportation Services
representative. He can be reached at [email protected].