USC launched a new shuttle service called "Lunchtime Express" which transports students between Russell House and Campus Village starting this semester.
The shuttle is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to those who have a valid USC ID.
According to Director of Parking and Transportation services Brian Favela, this initiative originated from a student thesis project, gaining strong support from the university administration including Parking and Transportation, Student Government and USC Dining. Favela collaborated with Director of Business Affairs Joseph Fortune to bring the concept to life.
The idea to create a lunchtime shuttle on campus came up in a conversation between Favela and Student Body President Patton Byars. As they discussed potential students needs that might have been overlooked, the student thesis came up. Byars said he thought it was a great idea and pushed for its implementation.
"Russell House gets overextended so much, especially the first two weeks of school with freshmen, which is not a bad thing," Byars said."However, we can facilitate a little bit better to get students to one, try different places to eat but two, not put so much constraint on one area so that everyone can have time to eat in an efficient manner, so you're not waiting in line for 30 minutes for food at Russell House."
According to Fortune, the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. lunchtime window is where administration is trying to create a better experience for students.
"One of my hopes for the shuttle is to inform students about the other options they have outside of the Russell House," Fortune said. "There's so many dining locations around the campus. The Pavilion ... is our largest dining hall, with over 650 seats and so that's why we're trying to drive traffic that direction."
The Pavilion, located at Campus Village, is USC's largest all-you-care-to-eat dining hall on campus.
The Lunchtime Express has the capacity to accommodate 15 to 20 students per trip. If more space is needed, the shuttle size will expand, and if necessary, administration will look into adding an extra shuttle.
"It's one shuttle, but we're watching the ridership," Favela said. "If we get to a point where we feel like we need to add an extra shuttle, we will do it."
According to Byars, this shuttle will serve as a pilot to see if students will use it. Once students use it, he will have a greater opportunity to advocate for its expansion.
USC Dining is keeping track of the students who ride the shuttle via their Carolina Cards. Students who swipe their card to get on the bus will receive a ticket for their name to be put in a drawing for various prizes in the spring semester.
"We're trying to incentivize (students) in that way by saying, 'Hey, by coming to lunch during the 11-2 hour, you get to put your name in the bucket for many prizes for the spring.' And those prizes will be announced on social media on April 15th," Fortune said.
Byars said the incentives for the Lunchtime shuttle are there so students will ride it, especially for the freshmen since a lot of them live in Campus Village. He also said students who take the shuttle 30 times or more during the fall semester will qualify for Master's Tournament merchandise in April.
In addition to the Lunchtime Express, Student Government has involvement with other shuttle services on campus.
"Byars is also advocating for the Night Express, the night shuttle service too, which we are gonna put into play in spring," Favela said.
"There will be four to five stops," Byars said. Stops will be located at Five Points, the Vista, near 650 outside of Greek Village, and a fourth stop on campus right outside the Horseshoe.
The Night Express shuttle service will start in January 2025, on the week before the first day of classes spring semester, Byars said.
Byars worked with many members of USC administration on implementing shuttle services with a broad range of hours for students as an effort to improve student safety.
"This is a safety initiative just as much it is a transportation one," Byars said. "I'm excited because it's going to run for long past my time here, which is what it should be, and that's what's important about it."
The Lunchtime Express runs on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., traveling between Russell House and Campus Village. The Russell House stop is located at the turnaround in front of the Thomas Cooper fountain, while the Campus Village stop is located on Whaley Street at the bus pullout in front of Campus Village Building 2. Students must present a valid USC ID to ride the shuttle.