You've probably seen them at a train station, grocery store or even at the mall. Right between Post Hall and Harvey Hall are the Adelphi University shuttles, branded in brown and gold.
You’ve probably seen them at a train station, grocery store or even at the mall. Right between Post Hall and Harvey Hall are the Adelphi University shuttles, branded in brown and gold. What started off as a few vehicles has transformed into an efficient system with 21 vehicles and 35 drivers ready to take the Adelphi community to over 10 destinations.
Adelphi is consistently improving the shuttle system, says Joseph A. Goodrich, manager of transportation and parking services. There has been an increase in stop destinations over the past few years, such as adding The Gallery at Westbury Plaza stop last year.
“It is Adelphi’s priority to keep students and faculty safe, which is why a sidewalk was added over the summer to prevent passengers from waiting in traffic for their bus to arrive,” Goodrich said. “The shuttles now go in a different direction, which also decreases the risk of riders being in traffic.”
The shuttle system grows more each year. Here are a seven things you should know about the service:
1. Every Day, All Day
From around 7:00 a.m. to after 10:00 p.m., shuttle drivers are getting riders to where they need to go. There’s a schedule for weekdays and weekends with a bus headed for somewhere almost every hour. When it comes to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the shuttles are synced with train times, when possible.
“If a train is late, we’ll try to wait for passengers,” said Goodrich. “A lot of times, we’ll have an additional shuttle waiting if the original shuttle is full.”
2. The Shuttle Can Take You Shopping
In addition to making stops at the Garden City Community Pool parking lot, Nassau Boulevard LIRR station, Mineola LIRR station, Hempstead Transit Center (HTC), Hempstead Turnpike at Nassau Boulevard and Seventh Street (Hilton and Franklin avenues), the shuttles have destinations for shopping centers. Adelphi passengers can go to Walmart, Target, Stop & Shop, Roosevelt Field Mall and The Gallery at Westbury Plaza for free. The Gallery at Westbury Plaza includes Trader Joe’s, Nordstrom Rack, Banana Republic, GNC, Levi’s Store, Shake Shack and more.
3. The Drivers Are Experienced
All shuttle drivers are required to take defensive driving training to learn how to prevent accidents and keep passengers safe, and they renew their certification every three years. Many afternoon/evening drivers drive public school buses during the day; others are MTA bus drivers. Some are firefighters or worked in law enforcement.
4. Panther Tracker
The Panther Tracker is a feature of the free AU2GO mobile app that shows in real time the location of shuttle buses traveling the routes for the Garden City Community Pool parking lot, Mineola LIRR station and Nassau Boulevard LIRR station. You can download the app here.
5. Wheelchair Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible transportation is available to anyone upon request. It is recommended that passengers call 516.877.3511 at least 24 hours in advance so that a wheelchair-accessible shuttle may be arranged.
6. America Reads
The Center for Career and Professional Development administers the America Reads/America Counts program, which offers Adelphi students opportunities to partner with teachers to tutor students from kindergarten through ninth grade. The America Reads/America Counts shuttle provides transportation to participating schools.
7. More to Come in the Near Future
The Office of Public Safety and Transportation has plans in store, such as adding sections for drop-off and pickup areas at Post Hall and another sidewalk for safety purposes.
“Our policy is to go above and beyond,” said Goodrich.
For more information about the shuttle service, visit the website or email goodrich@adelphi.edu.
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director
p – 516.237.8634
e – twilson@adelphi.edu