Transportation Services, Student Services and the Student Government Association partnered to create the Transloc app by identifying students’ needs regarding university shuttles, according to Derrick Brewster, assistant dean of student services.
“The Transloc app is an app that will allow live-time tracking for students’ to know exactly where the buses are, what time they’re going to get there, the routes that it will take,” SGA President Olivia Melton said.
Students received an email on Tuesday, Oct. 4, that said the Transloc app will provide accurate predictions of bus arrivals to dedicated stops.
“Students will be able to identify where the buses are located,” Brewster said. “They will also be able to communicate with the drivers regarding students’ needs to be picked up at certain times after hours.”
D’Nasa Mitchell, a sophomore psychology major from Dothan, said the app will be beneficial because students will be able to better identify when the shuttles will arrive.
“You are not waiting for ages for the shuttles to come and not being for certain when they will come,” Mitchell said. “With the updates and knowing when exactly it’s on the way there, it saves you time from running to the bus stop.”
Mitchell said she plans on using the phone app when it is released.
In addition, an updated version of the transportation brochure detailing the different lines the shuttle routes would offer was included in the email.
“Due to the parking concern that we have had on campus, and due to the increase of our international students, we felt a need to increase the amount of shuttle routes that we have here on campus,” Brewster said.
According to the brochure, there will be five colored routes, each designating central locations on and off campus. The shuttles run 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, running on the hour and the half hour.
The email stated that the Transloc app will give up-to-the-second information on the shuttles from a student’s phone or desktop.
“You can actually see the bus pulling up at your apartment, and you can quickly run out of your apartment and not have to wait at the bus stop,” Brewster said.
Melton encourages students to use the app and take advantage of the shuttle buses.
“I hope students really take advantage of it,” Melton said. “It’ll alleviate a lot of the stressors of the morning. This bus system will be a great way for them not to have to walk, not have to fight for parking, and it’s very strategic in the fact that you won’t have to fight to find the bus routes.”
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