Students who ride the Blue Loop will now have extended hours to get to and from campus.
The loop will now run from 8:40 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:40 a.m. until 4:20 p.m. on Fridays.
Previously, the loop only ran until 4:20 p.m. each day.
Student Government Association Secretary Austin Acel worked with Sue Weller, the director of facilities, business services, transportation and space studies, to adjust the times the shuttle operates since January.
"[SGA] made a good case regarding student safety, especially students taking evening classes," Weller said in an email.
Weller said they would be analyzing ridership to make sure the shuttles were being utilized enough to warrant the extension in hours. Transportation expects to see an average of 125-150 riders an hour, which she said is consistent with ridership for the Blue Loop in the past.
"I just hope students utilize the Blue Loop more and understand that SGA is actually doing something," Acel said. "I think this is something students love that SGA has started."
SGA will cover the cost of new signs at the Blue Loop stops and any advertising of the service. The cost of operation for the shuttles, however, will be covered by transportation. This will not affect the Red and Green Loops.
"I think Ball State is a really student-oriented campus and they really care about their students, and this is just another way they are doing that," Mikaela Schutte, a sophomore actuarial science major, said.
With the additional hours for the Blue Loop, transportation is looking for more student drivers. Drivers must be 21 years old and be able to work for at least two semesters.
Here is a map and locator for all Ball State shuttles.
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