By: Maddison Wilson | Staff Writer
It’s 9:00pm on a busy Tuesday night. A group of Salve Regina University students want to get back to campus, but it’s dark and they feel unsafe walking. Knowing the RIPTA buses don’t run late at night, they find the next best option: the Salve campus shuttles. But when they open the Passio GO! app to attempt to track the shuttles, they find themselves looking at an
empty map.
So, why have the app?
During orientation, incoming students are encouraged to download the Passio GO!, which is supposed to allow users to track Salve’s shuttles, view their locations, and find designated stops. Especially for first-year students who cannot have cars on campus, the shuttle system is an important part of getting around Newport safely. At night, knowing where a shuttle is and when it might arrive can bring students ease of mind knowing they can explore and run errands and get back to campus safely.
However, when students open the app and find no vehicles displayed, the validity and usefulness of the app is called into question. While you can see the shuttle stops around Newport, there is no way to track the shuttles or their planned routes for the night. While some students can find shuttles without tracking it, others are left waiting without knowing if a shuttle will arrive to bring them back to their dorms.
For students who cannot locate shuttles, the only option left is calling Salve’s Public Safety office. While Public Safety oversees the shuttle services, students should have the ability to track the shuttles without calling the office every time for assistance. A clear and reliable tracking system would make the process easier for students and help ensure that Public Safety is only called when need be.
According to shuttle drivers, the vehicles Salve utilizes as shuttles do not have the tracking devices that correlate to the Passio GO! App, making it impossible to display their locations. If this is the reason that the shuttles do not appear in the app, why continue advertising the tracking service when it is unreliable?
On Salve’s Public Safety website, the campus shuttle hours and routes are laid out clearly. However, their advertisement of the Passio GO! app as a resource students can use to track the shuttles is not accurate. If the app does not work, it should not be advertised as a resource for students.
In my opinion, Salve has two options. Update the system so that students can track the shuttles, or stop promoting Passio GO! and find a new system that is more reliable and gives students peace of mind. Many individuals rely on the shuttle system to plan errands and late night trips, and they deserve to know that there is an option of transportation that is safe back to campus.
Students should not have to guess where the campus shuttle is when they are trying to get home safely. If Salve encourages students to rely on a transportation service, it should ensure that the tools provided to access the service actually work, and that people know it is available.
Photos provided by Google Play Store
