“I hate the walk across campus! I wish there were an easier way to get from east to west campus.” It’s one of the most common complaints at Shepherd University, and the solution to the problem is easy: take the PanTran.
The PanTran is a bus that travels from one side of campus to the other. It stops at some of the most frequented places on campus and in front of several dorm buildings. The stops include the Frank Arts Center, the Student Center, H-lot near Printz and Dunlop Hall, Moler, Shaw, Thacher and Gardiner Halls.
For many students, the PanTran seems inconvenient. The bus stops at approximately 30-minute intervals, and, for most students, it’s difficult to make it to class on time and take the bus.
Nic McDill, a sophomore English major, said, “I think it would be good if it ran more often because many classes take place at times other than half-hour increments. That being said, I never use it.”
Derrick Cowles, a sophomore nursing major, thinks the PanTran does a great job, but he said, “I think it could improve if it doubled its runs in the early morning, especially when it’s very cold outside.”
Aside from complaints about how often the PanTran runs, junior political science major Ian Fraser concludes that the PanTran is convenient, “but it can be a bit crowded sometimes.”
Despite the major complaints about the service, however, students generally agree that the PanTran is convenient. When it’s cold outside, it’s better to be on a bus than out in the frigid temperatures, and it’s easier than finding street parking for a car.
During the fall and spring semesters when classes are in session, the PanTran operates Monday through Friday. The first bus runs at 7:30 in the morning, and the last bus runs at 9:15 at night.
According to the Shepherd University website, the PanTran typically operates unless snow reaches six inches or greater. If students want to know for sure, however, they can check the website for cancellations. The local radio station 97.5 FM will also broadcast any cancellations due to inclement weather.
As of right now, the student affairs office said that there are no future plans for the PanTran to make trips to the new Martinsburg facility. Students attending the classes on the main campus, however, don’t have much to worry about since there isn’t much of a need to travel between the Martinsburg and Shepherdstown campuses.
General student opinion shows that the PanTran may not be the most ideal way to travel all the time, but it is convenient, and it keeps students out of the cold, which is something very important to most students right now.
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