A new shuttle service is launching this month that will allow UConn employees and students to easily travel between the Storrs campus and UConn Health in Farmington each weekday during the next academic semester.
The UConn Health Shuttle starts Jan. 19 with the beginning of the spring semester, and will be operated by UConn’s transportation services division. It will be free of charge for those who make a reservation and show valid UConn identification.
UConn is reviving and revising the shuttle service, which had been provided several years ago, in light of the campuses’ growth and the increasing interdisciplinary collaborations developing between researchers, faculty, and students at Storrs and UConn Health.
It will operate this semester on a trial basis, with its ridership and schedule assessed at the end of the academic year to determine how it might continue in coming semesters.
The convenience of the shuttle will help support people already building those partnerships and encourage the development of more such collaborations. This is particularly true as the University expands its expertise in bioscience, genomics, and other high-tech fields of interest to people on both campuses.
Shuttle passengers will be required to reserve a seat online no later than 3 p.m. on the prior day, along with information about whether they are traveling one way or round-trip. They also will be asked to provide a cell phone number so the shuttle driver can be in touch to ensure the best service, particularly if the passenger is late.
The shuttle’s size will vary daily, depending on the number of people who have reserved a seat, and if someone is at one of the stops without a reservation, he or she may be able to get a ride if enough open seats are available.
The shuttle’s Storrs stop will be located on Hillside Road in front of Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.
At UConn Health, the shuttle will arrive and leave from stops at the bus shelter near Jackson Laboratory on Discovery Way; the main building’s entrance; and the Cell & Genome Sciences Building on Farmington Avenue.
The anticipated weekday schedule, subject to traffic and weather conditions, is as follows:
- Depart Storrs at 8 a.m., arrive at UConn Health at 9 a.m.
- Depart UConn Health after passengers disembark and new passengers come on board.
- Arrive at Storrs at 10 a.m.
- Depart Storrs again at 3 p.m.
- Arrive at UConn Health at 4 p.m., then leave with new passengers on board after previous passengers disembark.
- Arrive at Storrs at 5 p.m.
