Lewis & Clark students from all three schools are asking the campus community to come together in support of TriMet bus line 39.  Students have deemed Wednesday, March 18, Ride TriMet Day—as a way to encourage TriMet to save financial resources for all parties and reduce our community’s carbon foot print. The Source caught up with Law Student Body President Matt Dowling to find out more.

Why does Lewis & Clark need a direct line?

Lewis & Clark needs a direct line between campus and downtown because a significant number of our students, faculty and staff utilize the duplicative service provided by the Pioneer Express. Riders of the Pio choose it over TriMet purely for efficiency—the shuttle directly connects the campus to downtown and saves 15-25 minutes per trip over the TriMet 39/12 combination that covers the same territory. Were TriMet to provide a direct line the Pioneer Express would no longer be necessary and TriMet would receive the benefit of those additional riders.

Fiscally and environmentally the duplicative service makes no sense for either TriMet or Lewis & Clark.

Why is it important for campus community members to participate in Ride TriMet Day?

By participating in Ride TriMet Day campus community members can demonstrate a personal and institutional commitment to fiscal and environmental responsibility. If a significant number of our constituents participate we will be able to provide the hard data—the pure ridership numbers—TriMet needs to justify creating a direct line to campus. This is truly a case where action speaks louder than words.

What is the main message Lewis & Clark wants to send to TriMet by way of this event?

Lewis & Clark wants TriMet to know that a direct line to campus is fiscally justified by sufficient ridership.

Do you have any advice for Lewis & Clark community members who might like to participate but don’t normally ride the bus?

Lewis & Clark has created a website with all of the information necessary for anyone considering participating. It has routes, schedules and simple instructions designed to make the day as seamless as possible:

http://www.lclark.edu/dept/activity/trimetday.html

The administration purchased $595 worth of bus passes for the event—what else is the college doing to support saving line 39?

Student leaders and dedicated students are proactively spreading the word about the event to build the grassroots support necessary for its success. The administration has helped those students synthesize their ideas and communicate them effectively.

Also, to raise awareness and build interest, the college has printed buttons and t-shirts that will be given away in the days leading up to the event.

What has it been like to work with students from across the institution to achieve this shared goal?

Working with fellow students and the administration across all three campuses has been immensely rewarding. I’ve been duly impressed with everyone’s commitment and hard work. The campus community has responded as a cohesive whole in support of this effort—I’m happy to have the opportunity to share in the project.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Eliminating the duplicative service will free up funds in the transportation budget that can be reallocated to preserve the Sellwood Shuttle, a service a number of our students utilize and value.