What Time Does the Bus Run?

Ten ages ago, when I last posted here (sorry), I promised you a post on parking next. And well, friends, it's coming. BUT not today. Today, I'm going to answer a question somewhat related to parking:

What Time Does the Bus Run?

Let's start with the basics. The bus that runs through and around UTC is a city bus (CARTA), but it is called the Mocs Express. It is a free shuttle to all riders, but you should know that your MocsCard gets you free rides on any of the Chattanooga City buses (see full map here). The shuttle buses make constant loops (supposedly every 6 minutes) between the hours of 7:30 am and 8:30 pm. One of the ways this relates to parking is that you can park in a decent parking lot by Engel Stadium, and the shuttle will pick you up there and drop you pretty much as near as you'd like to your classes. Here's a list of the stops, courtesy of the UTC parking website (try to ignore the misspelling of Engel. I can't, but maybe you can.):

• E. 5th St. & O'Neal St. (next to Engle Stadium and General Lot 45)
• E. 3rd St. & Wiehl St. (at Erlanger Hospital)
• E. 3rd St. & Hampton St. (at Erlanger Hospital)
• Fortwood St. & Palmetto St. (across Palmetto from Reserved Lot 16)
• Vine St. & Palmetto St.
• Oak St. & Palmetto St.
• McCallie Ave. (across from the Doctor's Building)
• McCallie Ave. & Baldwin St. (Hunter Hall)
• McCallie Ave. (in front of the Quad)
• 8th & University St.
• 8th & Baldwin (Probasco South Campus)
• McCallie Ave. & Douglas St. (in front of Fletcher Hall)
• McCallie Ave. & Houston St. (in front of the Metro Complex)
• Houston St. (in front of the Metro Complex)
• Oak St. & Houston St.
• Vine St. (in front of New Village Apartments)
• Vine St. & Douglas St. (next to the Alpha Delta Pi house)
• E. 5th St. (behind Maclellan Gym)
• E. 5th St. & Baldwin St. (between the University Center and Holt Hall)
• E. 5th St. (at the east end of Holt Hall)
• Palmetto St. (in front of the Administrative Services Building)
• E. 3rd St. & Hampton St. (Erlanger Hospital)
• E. 3rd St. & Wiehl St. (Erlanger Hospital)
• E. 5th St. & O'Neal St. (next to Engle Stadium and General Lot 45

As you can see, this is a fairly easy and comfortable way to get to classes. I've used it many times (parked at Engel for about two years until recently), and it is a nice service. Need more help? Here's the handy instructional video we got in our email this week:




The problem, of course, is that you can't be sure when it will run. Every six minutes is kind of a crap shoot of information. The digital signs will tell you when the next shuttle is expected, but you can't see them until you're at the stop, and and sometimes, the six minutes part is just a bold-faced lie. I've definitely arrived at the stop a minute later than normal having missed the shuttle I usually catch only to find the next one won't be there for more than 10 minutes according to the sign. This is a problem, and it is one students should address with the Parking Services people. When I finally do get around to writing more about parking, I'll talk more about this issue. For now, though, the best option is to use CARTA's bus tracker on your phone. It will tell you the same info as the signs, but at least you can stay inside longer, which can be helpful on a day like today when it is a wee bit chilly out. Ride the bus, UTC. Ride the bus.

Cheers,

Dr. Y