With the proposed changes to current UNCW bus routes, Wave Transit’s board of directors are set to cut the CREST Shuttle bus route to the Center for Marine Science (CMS) which will disenfranchise marine science students for years to come. Wave Transit, also known as the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, is the company who runs a large portion of UNCW off-campus shuttles. Recently Wave Transit laid out its plan for something called Reimagine Wave Transit. Wave Transit’s website describes Reimagine Wave Transit to be a “system redesign,” which is scheduled to go into effect in January 2025.
The Reimagined Wave Transit section of their website has a lot of information about these proposed changes. Listed as highlights at the top of this project page are changes such as “Wave’s first ever frequent (15-minute) service, new 30-minute Saturday service on Route 108 – Market St, Port City Trolley operating more frequently and on Sundays, Direct connection from Padgett Station to Mayfaire every hour on new Route 206 – Oleander Dr., Additional bus stops on College Road to improve access.”
Some of the changes, such as an increased weekend service, seem like welcome changes seeking to benefit students. However, buried near the bottom of the “Proposed Changes by Route” section is a small, easily missed change which would deprive many future students of necessary transportation. Route 708 – CREST Shuttle is the only free bus running directly from UNCW campus to the CMS. Without this route the closest route would be Route 107 to Monkey Junction. Students would then have to take the RideMicro Microservice to CMS, from the Route 107 stop in Monkey Junction. On the RideMicro page of their website Wave Transit states that “[a]ll RideMICRO trips are $2 per person, per one-way trip. Passengers can pay for their trip in the RideMICRO App using a debit or credit card, with cash (exact change) upon boarding, or purchase a pass ahead of time at a Wave Transit transfer station.” Not only would this process take significantly longer than the current CMS shuttle, but many students may not have the money to regularly use the RideMicro service.
UNCW is a destination school for many who wish to study marine science. The Center for Marine Science is the hub for this vital aspect of our school’s identity. More than this, it’s where many students work, have labs and assist in graduate and undergraduate research. While some graduate students and researchers can drive there, what are undergraduate students to do? Many pursuing a marine sciences undergraduate degree may not have a car or the money to ride with Uber or RideMirco. To be more cost-effective, Wave Transit is willing to leave these students to front the bill.
Wave Transit is proposing cutting this line “because the level of service is too high for the low demand.” The cost of running the shuttle is too high for the low number of students who ride it, as a part of their “cost-neutral plan.” Cost effective business strategies should not get in the way of current and future students having free and convenient access to CMS, a location students are often needing access to throughout their semester and degree. If students are required to go to CMS for work, class or lab, then UNCW has a duty to provide these students with free transportation.
Wave Transit states on the same project page that “UNCW staff will always ensure the existence of transportation between the main campus and the UNCW Center for Marine Science; however, due to the lower demand, more sustainable and cost-efficient transport modes would instead be utilized.” Cost effective for who? The current shuttle is completely free, running from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. What are these mysterious new methods of transportation that “UNCW staff will always provide?” The only route currently listed and suggested is “Route 107 and RideMICRO Zone 3.” This is only cost effective to Wave Transit, not to students. If UNCW is going to stand by and let Wave Transit cut this line directly to CMS, then they need to be clear and transparent about what their new, free service will be. Route 107 and RideMICRO Zone 3 will not cut it. It doesn’t matter if it costs fifty cents or one hundred dollars, students should not have to pay to go somewhere their degree requires them to be.
The Wave Transit Board of Directors needs to take these concerns into account. Marine science students required to go to CMS regularly should have readily accessible and free transportation. If UNCW is to take over this service, both Wave Transit and UNCW need to be upfront and clear on how they plan to get students to CMS. Otherwise, UNCW has another reason why marine science students might think twice about coming to UNCW for their degree. This would be tragic given how strongly our school’s identity is tied to our cutting-edge marine science programs.
The proposed changes are set to go into effect January 2025. However, “A public hearing on the proposed changes will be held Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at 12:30 at Forden Station located at 505 Cando St., Wilmington, NC 28405,” according to the Reimagine Wave Transit website page. There will be a public comment period where community members can speak for five minutes on the proposed changes. If you think the cutting of the CREST shuttle will disenfranchise students, then consider going and voicing your concern.
