ACTR Expands to Help Students

Author: Kathleen Fleury

Have you ever been too lazy to walk into town for dinner, or been left behind on a run to Ames? Worry no more. Addison County Transit Resources (ACTR) has come to the rescue.
Very few Middlebury students are aware of the public transportation system, namely the Middlebury shuttle, which has been around since 1996. ACTR offers a large range of services including this shuttle to popular destinations in town and on campus, as well as a tri-town shuttle to Bristol and Vergennes.
In the past few months the system has been updated in an attempt to make it more convenient and student-friendly. This is largely due to the efforts of executive director Jim Moulton and the staff at ACTR, as well as Gabe Epperson '03.
The reason for these changes, according to Epperson, who got involved in the project through an environmental studies seminar last spring, was that the College needed "a more comprehensive and holistic approach" to issues of transportation and parking. He worked together with ACTR to help shape the new schedule and route so that it is more conducive to student and faculty needs.
So why aren't Middlebury students using this system? The main reason is that they are unaware it exists. Moulton, who has worked diligently to implement the changes, hopes that students realize the service is available to the general public, including the Middlebury College community. Of significant advantage for the typically tight-budgeted college student, Moulton noted, is that the service is free.
Though the system is in a transitional period, many changes have already occurred. There are four new stops on campus: At the Center for the Arts, Old Chapel, McCullough and Adirondack Circle.
The routes are fairly straightforward, each stopping on Merchant's Row and proceeding from there. Local stops include Porter Hospital, Centre Plaza (where Ames is now located), Marble Works and Shaw's. According to Moulton, the system is very flexible.
If you see a bus pass by, you can wave it down and if it isn't too busy (not during morning or afternoon commuting hours) the bus can most likely drop you off wherever you want to go.
The hours to date are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entire route takes about 90 minutes but exact pick-up and drop-off times are assigned to each location.
The schedule, which will soon be available through a direct link on the Middlebury College homepage, is currently available at the Department of Public Security or by calling the ACTR office at 802-388-1946 and requesting one by mail.