U Taking the Bus?

Disclosure:

The following article is riddled with bias and personal opinion. Many of the statements made lack some sort of external validity. The perspective this author is working under is the avid Cook/Douglass – College Ave bus route user and being a student without a driver’s license.

Cramped. Crowded. Late. Necessary?

These are some of the words that surface when asking students their thoughts about the RU bus system. Having to travel to 4 different campuses (grouping together Cook and Douglass) to get to class has becomeanacquiredskill,unifyingthe Rutgersstudentbody.Therearemany reasons for bus animosity that range from overcrowded buses, to improperbusetiquette.Butamongall these faults, one outshines the rest in theeyesofthisauthor.

I am a third-year EPIB student with virtually all of my classes on College Ave and Cook/Douglass. I currently donothaveadriver'slicenseandrely onwalking,biking,skateboarding,and yes,theRUbuses,togetaround.It’s necessary for me to get to my classes, even if I do arrive late at times (especiallyduringthe1-2pmbus rush).AndasanavidEErider,Ican saythattheRUbusesarenotallbad. Let’s look at this from an environmental standpoint. When comparedtosingleoccupancyvehicles, using public transportation decreases the amount of air pollutants and carbon emissions in the atmosphere, making it a great option for the environmentallyconsciousrider.

And although I do recognize the environmental merits of public transportation,Ican’thelpbutask,is thisthebestwecando?Forgettingthat the EE and F buses are notorious for travelinginpacksandtakingforeverto arrive, what irks me the most is the idling.

It is understandable that Rutgers bus driverstakefrequentbreaksastheyare human,butleavingthebusesrunning isextremelywasteful.Manytimes,the breaks are long, lasting up to 10-15 minutes.Personally,timingoneofthe breaksstoppedatRedOakLanetook approximately13minutes(Disclaimer: This time was not professionally or accurately timed, but the break did taketheentiretyofCarSeatHeadrest’s “Beach Life-In-Death”). It is understandable that in times of extreme weather, drivers need to take “cab comfort” into account. This is when a vehicle remains running in order to provide comfort (in the formof heating and cooling) to the passengers.Butprovidingthiscomfort at 10 minutes per bathroom session, could have detrimental effects on air quality,fuelconsumption,andclimate change; not to mention could be consideredillegal.

RUbuses)theidlingrestrictionissetat a max of 3 consecutive minutes. 3 minutes! Now, there are some technicalities that state, “autobuses while discharging or picking up passengers, [are] limited to 15 consecutive minutes in a 60-minute period” (New Jersey Administrative Code,2020).Canthedriversclaimto bestoppedtopickuppassengerswhile coincidentallytakingabreak?Perhaps, butIthinkthiscouldonlybeapplied whenthedriversareinorwithinview of their vehicle, which oftentimes when taking a break, is not the case. Thismakesthepriceofidlingnotonly anincreasedglobaltemperaturedueto an excess amount of GHG being released,buta$1,000pervehicle,per dayfine.

Taking a quick look at the State of New Jersey’s Administrative Code (Title7,Ch.27-15.8;N.J.A.C.7:2715:8)ontheControlandProhibition ofAirPollutionfromGasolineFueled Motor Vehicles, it clearly states that forgasoline-fueledmotorvehicles(aka

I am torn. How can I claim to be an environmentalist if I am also a passenger? Is riding the bus a true necessityoramereluxury,mycarbon footprint can no longer afford? And themilliondollarquestion:willIstill betakingthebus?Thesadtruthis,yes. Asmuchasitpainsmetosay,walking is impractical and avoiding the bus system is an unrealistic aspiration. Instead,Iwillbetakingthebuswhile advocating for change. You can join me, by keeping up with the Rutgers Office of Climate Action and their transportation mission of implementing electric buses and reachingcarbonneutralityby2040.