Letter: Duke's transportation system is still problematic

Apparently Duke's new tactic in community building is through large daily gatherings at the East and West Campus bus stops. Those of you who take the bus during peak hours know this chaos. The changes to the bus schedule have failed to make the commute between East and West Campuses any easier than in years past. The new bus schedule reduced the number of buses in favor of increased frequency and efficiency. Riders who have to push and shove their way onto a bus during peak hours have learned that efficiency, according to Duke transportation, means packing us in like sardines. Needless to say, the strategy is not working.

At first, I dismissed the bus service's inability to accommodate large numbers of students during certain times as an adjustment period to the different class schedules this semester. However, as we are now over a month into the school year and the daily battle to find any spot on a bus continues, I'm beginning to wonder if changes will ever be put in place. I've already been late to a number of my classes simply because three or more buses go by without being able to squeeze onto one of them. Apparently, after a year on West Campus, I've lost my touch in quietly shuffling to the front of the line. Daily commuters are more skilled in slicing through dozens of bodies only to gain a seat and have large book bags shoved in their face. Waiting at the bus stop should not be a fight with my fellow students to earn a bus ride. With any luck, Transportation Supervisor Darryl Holleman will do something to correct this daily madness and allow everyone to get to their classes on time.