The Anteater Express has suspended its W, D and S lines and reduced the frequency of several routes for the fall 2021 quarter. The reductions are the result of COVID-19’s impact on student staffing and new hire training.
The W, D and S lines provided transportation to off-campus locations, such as Diamond Jamboree and Irvine Spectrum. With the suspension of these lines, the Anteater Express has chosen to prioritize its on-campus routes.
Before the pandemic, most buses had arrival frequencies ranging from six to 15 minutes. Currently, wait times for routes, such as the A and N lines, have increased to 30 minutes for the 11 a.m to 4 p.m. midday service.
The Anteater Express staff sent out an email announcement to students regarding the reduced routes on May 7. The staff hoped that the early announcement would allow students to adjust their transportation accordingly for the fall.
In response to the reduction of routes, third year mathematics and data science student Hannah Styer created a petition appealing to UCI for “greater prioritization of Anteater Express staff recruitment and for adequate program funding” on Sept. 30.
“The purpose of the petition is to support the prioritization of solving this problem,” Styer said. “I’m lucky to have been in contact with ASUCI, and my eventual goal is to contribute to the broader conversation by giving a voice to the students’ concerns. As a general rule, as more people become invested in a problem, the more important it becomes to the community to work towards a solution.”
What initially started out as a joke by one of Styer’s friends led to a petition being made that same day.
“Many of my friends rely more heavily on the Anteater Express, and the reduction in routes and the significant overcrowding became quite a concern. We typically have classes in the Engineering, ICS and Physical Sciences buildings, so the suspension of the daytime M Line service was particularly noticeable,” Styer said.
A majority of the feedback from the petition, as well as student testimonials, agreed on the overall need for more frequent M Line service and reinstatement of the W Line, according to Styer. Reinstatement of the off-campus S and D Lines were the second most requested by students.
The overcrowding on buses has created an additional source of concern about social distancing in public spaces for students.
“I missed the N line by 2 minutes and waited the 28 minutes until the next bus. Once it came, we all crammed onto the bus — and I mean crammed. People, including myself, took off their backpacks to squeeze in several more students. Even before the pandemic, this level of overcrowding would make anyone uncomfortable,” Styer said.
With tuition increases across UC campuses effective beginning the 2022-23 school year, some students wonder if increased funding will go toward the Anteater Express.
General Manager of the Anteater Express Tim Rudek confirmed the Anteater Express has not received any funding from tuition increases.
Frequent riders of the Anteater Express have experienced issues with arriving to class on time as buses are not able to fit everyone in line during peak times.
“I’m basically figuring out the campus like a freshman. It really doesn’t help that the bus [arrives] every 15 to 30 minutes … I’m always rushing to eat my breakfast and running to the bus everyday,” second year literary journalism student Helena San Roque said.
Others share they would rather opt for other transportation alternatives, such as walking or biking.
“On Thursdays, my class [takes place] from 12 to 1 p.m. then I have another class at 5. I tend to stay on campus because I know that I’m not going to be able to get a seat on the bus because the bus is so full,” a second year biological sciences major, who preferred to be kept anonymous, said. “I could push my way through people, but I would rather not create any harm.”
The Anteater Express stated on social media on Oct. 4 that there will be an additional N Line bus for the midday service. Some of the major stops the N Line makes include Vista del Campo Norte and Plaza Verde. Now, instead of coming every 30 minutes, the bus frequency has increased to every 15 minutes.
“Sometimes the app that we have isn’t quite accurate, so it ruins some of the scheduling, but I know they’re trying their best. On top of that, I see a lot of bus [drivers] that are being trained, so maybe there is some improvement there … It’s also the start of the quarter. Maybe they’ll have more changes next quarter,” the anonymous student said.
According to Rudek, the Anteater Express will train more student drivers during winter break. As of this time, he is not yet sure if the W, S or D Lines will return next quarter.
Those interested in more updates regarding the Anteater Express and its routes can visit their website.
Yuika Yoshida is a Campus News Intern for the fall 2021 quarter. She can be reached at yuikay@uci.edu.
