As a result of complaints by a handful of UCLA’s more
vocal neighbors, the Hilgard Transit Center is now closed on late
nights and weekends. The change will be a mixed bag for students,
but it is yet another example of how easily student voices get
lost, especially on transportation issues.
The new policy means Big Blue Bus lines will no longer stop at
Charles E. Young Drive after 10 p.m. and on weekends and holidays.
Instead, the lines will stop at the Ackerman Union terminal.
For some students, the change will actually reduce walking
distances ““ for example, the Ackerman terminal is about 1,000
ft. closer to the Student Activities Center than the Hilgard
terminal. But for Hilgard residents and those coming from other
campus destinations, the distance will nearly double.
Regardless of exactly how the change will impact campus life,
the process is symptomatic of administrators’ and community
members’ continued misunderstanding and lacking of respect
for student concerns.
According to undergraduate Transport Services representative
Joseph Vardner, no students were informed of the pending change
until after it was approved.
It appears that less than a dozen Westwood homeowners were able
to sway the less-than-deliberative process and convince the bus
lines and UCLA administration that their concerns outweighed the
interests of many more students.
UCLA claims the bus, shuttle and van lines around campus serve
student needs, but they certainly are not run with meaningful
student input, resulting in a system that never achieves its full
potential.
This week’s miserable string of rainy days, combined with
the bus terminal decision, highlight the ongoing inadequacy of
student transportation options.
It is almost always easier to walk to Westwood or a distant
campus location than wait for a bus or van at one of the few
terminals scattered around campus.
Far more students would be interested in a mass transit system
with multiple stops around campus, the dorms and along residential
streets where students live. Huge, noisy city buses are not the
only options ““ a significant expansion of the Community
Service Officer van program and the UCLA shuttle would be a good
start.
The city and UCLA do a terrible job of moving students around
during a typical day. Dorm residents heading to shop in Westwood,
sorority members attending fraternity events and students studying
at Powell have no compelling options except hiking across
UCLA’s 419-acre campus ““ often late at night.
Westwood homeowners are a powerful lobby of wealthy voters, and,
understandably, many of them don’t like bars, buses, noise or
the other things which make college life interesting.
Students must be more organized in vocalizing their concerns,
but the administration should do more to keep students informed of
pending changes and build a better framework for those student
voices to be heard over the constant buzz of residents.