Shuttle to Amtrak in planning

Students who ride Amtrak may have fewer problems getting to and from the station thanks to a proposal from an Undergraduate Student Government senator who has developed plans for a direct-route shuttle.

TyJuan Cratic developed the idea of the shuttle earlier this semester and, after the approval from the student government, drafted a resolution Wednesday, which is awaiting approval by the Mass Transit Committee. The committee has not yet met this semester.

Most students who ride Amtrak rely on the Saluki Express, cabs or a ride for transportation to and from the station, but the shuttle would allow for easier and quicker travel, Cratic said. "Many students use Amtrak," Cratic said. "If students use Saluki Express, they have to wait through many other stops. This would be a more direct path." Some students who use Amtrak said it is difficult getting to the station from campus, especially with extra luggage.

Cratic wants the shuttle to run for the beginning and end of SIUC's holiday breaks, the times when most students use Amtrak. He said having the shuttle to the station 30 minutes before departure and after arrival could prevent many students from having to endure the long trek home with their luggage.

Dennis Daniels, a freshman from Homewood studying criminal justice, said he missed the Saluki Express from the Amtrak station after arriving at the end of Thanksgiving break. He ended up having to carry his luggage to Thompson Point. "The bus doesn't run with Amtrak," Daniels said. "It would be a lot easier." Although Cratic has ideas for how he wants the plans to be implemented, questions such as costs, routes and the means of transportation would be left for the Mass Transit Committee to decide.

USG President Tequia Hicks said if the Amtrak station shuttle were approved, the student government would start looking into ways in which they can help get the plan developed. She said she hopes to get the resolution to the committee as soon as possible, and said she has tried to contact the committee several times. If the committee approved the Amtrak shuttle by the end of the semester, Hicks said the plan might be available for the fall.