22 • | AUGUST 2020 | BACK TO CAMPUS GUIDE | ACADEMIC LIFE
BEAR LINE
Getting the most out of Missouri State’s shuttle service ERIN FRAZIER Staff Reporter @efrazier2019 The first day of school evokes nerves even the most emotionally iron-clad individuals cannot escape. This does not change at the collegiate level. However, Missouri State University provides a variety of resources that can make the adjustment to adulthood and autonomy less nerve-wracking and more fluid. A popular resource for students is the Bear Line. The Bear Line is a shuttle bus service that transports students to different parts of the main campus, downtown and some student housing. “There are almost 40 stops that the Bear Line stops (at) and we have up to 15 shuttles running at one time,” said Cole Pruitt, manager of transportation. “This allows the Bear Line to serve over one million student riders every year.” According to the MSU’s transportation services website, the average wait time for a bus is anywhere from 5-15 minutes, but it is recommended to allow yourself 15-25 minutes from the start of your class to ensure that you arrive on time. Additionally, the Bear Line is accessible to students who have physical handicaps. “Each shuttle has special lifting devices for wheelchairs,” the website said. “There is full use of the Bear Line for all people.” According to the transportation services’ website, the Bear Line’s weekday hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters. There are eight weekday routes:
THE STANDARD
THE-STANDARD.ORG
Purple
The Purple route stops at Greek Row, Woods House, Plaster Student Union, Foster Recreation Center, Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, JQH Arena, Elm Street and Scholars House.
Red
The Red route travels to Bear Park North and South, Art Annex, Carrington Hall, Plaster Stadium, the library and JQH Arena. The evening and weekend hours for the Bear Line are 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday. On Thursday, the Bear Lines run from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. but are not availBlue able Friday and Saturday evening. The Blue route travels to many The two routes that run during of the residence halls: Woods the evening are: House, Scholars House, Sunvilla Tower and Kentwood Hall. Maroon North Maroon North makes stops at Green Bear Park North, Sunvilla Tower, The Green route travels to Lots 44/51, Kentwood Hall, Park non-academic buildings: Hammons Central Square District, Brick City, Student Center, JQH Arena, Foster the Morris Center, and the Meyer Recreation Center, Bear Park North Alumni Center located downtown. and Plaster Student Union, as well as some of the residence halls. Maroon South Maroon South stops at Bear Gold Park North, Hammons Student The Gold route travels to uni- Center, Glass Hall, Bear Park versity buildings downtown: Mey- South, the library, Foster Recreer Alumni Center, Morris Center, ation Center, Plaster Student Park Central Office Building, Union, Woods House, Scholars Brick City and MSU parking lot House, Greek Row, and Elm Street. numbers 47 and 48. Joseph Elwood, a sophomore Gold Express geography major, has nothing but The Gold Express route stops positive things to say about the at many of the same locations as Bear Line. the Gold route, but it runs every “It’s really nice when you get five minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. back late and have to park at Bear as opposed to the 10-15 minute Park North,” Elwood said. “It also periods of the other routes. helps a lot if it’s really cold so I don’t have to deal with the weathOrange East er.” The Orange East route is a According to Pruitt and the hodgepodge, making stops at Plas- transportation website, the Bear ter Student Union, Monroe Apart- Line is paid for with a small perments, MSU parking lots 22/24, centage of student fees. TransporKings Street, Art Annex, Car- tation costs are calculated using a rington Hall, Bear Park South, standard of 11 miles per day and Duane G. Meyer Library and Fos- mileage rates provided by the Internal Revenue Service. This ter Recreation Center. means that there is no need to pay Orange West upon entrance or exit of the shuttle, The Orange West route makes maximizing efficiency. stops at Plaster Student Union, Katie Baird is a sophomore biWoods House, Hutchens and Ham- ology major who frequents the mons Houses, Wehr Band Hall and Bear Line. many of the main streets located “I liked it; the drivers are alnear the university. It also goes ways super kind,” Baird said. “It from Carrington Hall to Bear Park was a great way to get across camSouth. pus safely and quickly, especially
File photo by Jaylen Early/THE STANDARD
Students can ride the Bear Line to safely get to and from classes, dorms, apartments and several other areas off-campus. when the weather was bad or it was late at night.” The Bear Line is a shuttle service that does it all: maximizes efficiency, provides a reliable and friendly method of traveling on and
off-campus and is accessible to all students. Ultimately, it is just one facet of Missouri State which makes college feel like a home away from home.
