Press release from Citilink:
Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast, IPFW, and Citilink Kick Off campusLink Free Shuttle Service In Style
(August 17, 2010) – This afternoon, Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast, IPFW, and Citilink celebrated the new shuttle service, campusLink, with a special ribbon-cutting and kickoff event at Cole Commons at IPFW Student Housing on the Waterfield Campus. The service will be offered to students, faculty, staff, and even the general public beginning Monday, August 24, 2009.
campusLink is designed to provide FREE shuttle service open to the general public; however, it is especially tailored for students, faculty, and staff in and around the campuses of Ivy Tech and IPFW. The campus shuttle is funded as a demonstration project as one of two elements of a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant for the first three years of operation.
The second element of the agreement will provide discounted pass sales for general Citilink transportation service for Ivy Tech and IPFW students, faculty, and staff at gradually decreasing discounts (80%/50%/20%) over a three-year period. In the first year, students, faculty, and staff can purchase a 31-day Citilink city-wide bus pass for only $9 (regular price: $45). This is an unlimited pass and is active 31 days from the first day of use, and a maximum of four passes per semester per person may be purchased at the IPFW Bursar’s office, Ivy Tech’s Business office, or the Citilink office.
campusLink will utilize three light transit vehicles providing 15-minute service frequency throughout the student residential and commercial areas adjacent to both campuses. The service will provide core campus service of 5- to 10-minute frequency. The route schedule is available online and has also been provided to the media in digital format. The service will complement Citilink’s Routes 3 and 4 providing connection to classes, housing, shopping and the remainder of the Citilink fixed route bus system. The three light transit vehicles, which will be assigned to campusLink, will be new vehicles purchased utilizing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds (100 percent federal).
“As Ivy Tech continues its rapid growth from our Coliseum Campus to our new North Campus, it’s more important than ever before that we provide accessibility to our students who have classes in both locations,” stated Ivy Tech Interim Chancellor Russell D. Baker, Ed.D. “This will also provide easy-access for faculty and staff who travel back and forth between the Ivy Tech and IPFW campuses on a daily basis.”
“The growth of IPFW’s campus makes campusLink a vital transportation resource for our students, faculty, and staff,” said IPFW Chancellor Michael A. Wartell. “The relationship we have with Ivy Tech is very important to us and our students, and this provides another physical link between us. We also understand the importance of the nearby retail establishments, and we’re looking forward to improving the connections our students have with the area merchants. Quite simply, campusLink will give our students a better quality of life and increase their ability to move throughout this area much easier.”
campusLink’s times of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Subsidized service will be provided during the fall and spring semesters for 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 (ending with the completion of the spring semester 2012). Continuation of service beyond the end of the agreement is dependent on the identification of an alternative funding source. IPFW, Ivy Tech, and Citilink have agreed to jointly pursue permanent funding.
“Our analysis of the course schedules for both IPFW and Ivy Tech indicate we should expect 81 days of operation in the Fall and 79 days of operation in the Spring,” said Kenneth C. Housden, general manager of Citlink.
Students, faculty, and staff at IPFW and Ivy Tech will be able to take advantage of different food vendors, businesses, and other attractions within the campusLink service area. These include IPFW’s Native Tree Riverwalk, Ivy Tech’s Culinary Arts’ Wednesday weekly deli, Ivy Tech’s Java Loco Café and Deli (Coliseum Campus building), Ivy Tech’s Java Loco Grille (Student Life Center on the North Campus), IPFW’s Subway (Kettler Hall), IPFW’s Taco Bell (Walb Student Union), IPFW’s Pizza Hut (Walb Student Union), IPFW’s Higher Grounds (ETCS Building), in addition to North Anthony Blvd. and Marketplace of Canterbury merchants, among others.
“We are excited about the service Citilink is able to provide to both of these educational institutions,” said Fred Lanahan, Citilink board president. “We’re hopeful that the campus communities will embrace the environmental and economic benefits of the campusLink service. It will serve as a vital connection for this area by providing a more convenient, cost- and time-saving transportation option.”
For questions about campusLink, contact Betsy Kachmar, assistant general manager at Citilink, at 260-432-4546 or e-mail bek@fwcitilink.com. More information can be found online at www.fwcitilink.com/campuslink.
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system with more than 120,000 students enrolled annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne is the largest institution of higher learning in northeast Indiana, offering nearly 200 prestigious IU and Purdue degrees and certificates. More than 12,000 students of diverse ages, races, and nationalities pursue their education on our 662-acre campus. IPFW combines challenging academic programs with student-centered flexibility at an affordable price. The university’s exemplary standards in teaching and research provide unparalleled value for career preparation and professional development in an ever-changing global market. The university’s commitment to service makes it an economic, cultural, and societal leader in the region. IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Citilink’s mission is to provide safe, courteous, and dependable public transportation at the most reasonable cost to our community. Getting you where you need to go – wherever life takes you.
Webmaster’s note: I am in the midst of cleaning out the inbox and posting some previously overlooked press releases.
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