Students who live off-campus and use the Star Metro Transit System often encounter problems due to various reasons. According to President James Ammons, the 2010-2011 school year had the largest student enrollment in history, which means more students are forced to live off campus.
“Getting to school is an everyday struggle,” said Kyle Curry, a second-year criminal justice student from Philadelphia. “I have to be ready an hour early because I am never sure when the bus is going to come.”
The Venom II runs from University Courtyard Apartments to campus every 30 minutes, often late. Curry has been facing the same problems since his freshman year when he lived in College Club Apartments.
Lack of knowing the correct bus to catch and routes is a problem for students.
“I tried going to the mall one day and it took me about two hours because I got to the terminal and didn’t know what bus to catch to the mall,” said Alkia Shipman, a third-year theater student from Ft. Lauderdale. “When I found out the right bus, it had just left and I was forced to wait for it to come back around.”
Another problem students are faced with is the overcrowding on the buses.
“There are always a million people on the bus,” said Dwayne Scant, a second-year computer engineering student from Orlando who lives in Seminole Grand.
There are about 300 students that ride the bus to FAMU’s campus every day.
Students’ lack of self-control causes an inconvenience to other passengers and drivers. It is hard for drivers to control students on the bus because they must remain professional at all times.
“People don’t know how to act on the bus,” said Curry.
The Venom II stops running from 12:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. everyday. According to Start Metro bus driver John Gregory, this time gap that the shuttle does not run creates a dilemma for students because it is the busiest time of the day when the most students are on campus.
Drivers of Star Metro are known to drive fast through the Set and this creates a safety concern.
“Drivers drive too fast and are never on time. We just need better drivers,” said LaDrena Taylor, a first-year communications student from Atlanta.