Monday marked the end of Spring Break for Ball State University students and the beginning of a nine-month break for the Blue Loop shuttle bus route.
The Blue Loop, which serves students living on the east side of campus, runs each year from the beginning of the Spring Semester in January through Spring Break. The buses operated from 8:40 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. on weekdays.
Gary Moses, supervisor of bus operations, said the shuttle served an average of 79 passengers per hour during its run this year. Specific passenger numbers are not kept for the other Ball State shuttles, but the Blue Loop's count was between the Red and Green Loops, Moses said.
The Blue Loop's popularity increased by 84 percent from last year, when it averaged 43 passengers an hour.
Moses credits the rise in popularity and awareness of the Blue Loop to a "pretty substantial" ad campaign generated by the Student Government Association. The route also was shorter and quicker than last year's, completing in 10 minutes instead of 15. The improved route included stops by student apartments on Riverside Avenue.
There are currently no plans to extend the route past Spring Break, Moses said.
"The demand has just been for winter months, when the weather is bad," he said, adding that the campus "got lucky" this year due to recent warmer weather negating the need for the Blue Loop.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
