With the fall semester nearly halfway over, most students have established their transportation patterns for the year.

However, some students complain that their transportation needs are sometimes met haphazardly when it comes to the Seahawk Shuttle. The Seahawk Shuttle is UNCW’s alternative to driving on campus for students who live within the one-mile radius. The shuttle service is provided free of charge with the presentation of a UNSea card and has two routes running each day at approximately 20-minute intervals. The WTA also runs each day at UNCW for students who need to go outside the one-mile radius. Junior Kay Lorentz wrote a story about the inconveniences that the shuttle’s unreliability caused her. “When I went to buy my books, I waited two hours for the shuttle. When I came out at the proper time, it never showed; I finally ended up walking all the way to the parking lot behind Dobo Hall with my heavy books,” she said. Students say the shuttle is the most reliable during its morning cycles. Many students with morning classes agree that the shuttle is relatively reliable during a.m. hours. Sophomore Justin Seaward rides the shuttle each day to and from class. Seaward lives within the one-mile radius and has morning classes. “It’s nice because I can’t drive on campus and it would suck to walk,” he said. Sophomore Eric Spencer also rides the shuttle every day. He has morning classes as well and concedes that the shuttle is usually reliable for him. Some students have experienced work conflicts because of shuttle delays. Freshman Cristina Rasmussen, a Pinewood apartment’s resident, said that she has been late to work because of shuttle delays. “I take it home around three; It’s never on time. I’ll get there at 3:18 p.m. and I’ll miss it,” Rasmussen said. Although the Seahawk Shuttle is unreliable at times, many students recognize it as a valuable asset to their commuting needs. Also, it is a free mode of transportation that is easy to take advantage of-if you flash a UNSea card. Parking passes break the bank for many college students financing their own educational expenses. “Driving would be nice, but you can never find a spot, and it’s too expensive; riding the shuttle is just easier,” sophomore Rachel Werley said. Betty Gurganus, support services manager for Auxiliary Services, could not be reached for an interview. Many students are friendly with the Seahawk Shuttle drivers and know them on a first name basis. “I think the drivers are pretty cool,” sophomore James Evans said. The Seahawk Shuttle stops at the designated UNCW Seahawk Shuttle stops and the WTA stops along both the North and South routes and operates on a 15 or 20 minute round trip schedule.

UNCW Seahawk Shuttle signs and WTA bus stops along the fixed route mark shuttle stops. The routes run Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For a Wilmington Public Transit guide, stop by the Parking & Transportation office in the Warwick Center, the University Union Information Center or the Post Office.