For students in a rush who don’t want to trudge around in the blazing Florida sun, there is an alternative to walking around campus: the USF Bull Runner shuttle, which offers free transportation all over campus and then some.

There are five different shuttle routes with dozens of stops all over campus, three of which have had slight changes since last year. The A route generally sticks to the east side of campus. The B and C routes still take students between off-campus housing and campus, but the B route now goes to the Northwest corner of campus instead of around the Library and Cooper Hall. The D route takes students to Wal-Mart, the University Mall and the University Area Transit Center. It also has a newly added stop at the administration building.

The D route can be very important to a student without a car, especially if they have a class at the mall. Remember that the buses can only fit so many people – if you need to get to the mall for class, so do about 100 other students. Students should show up early, at least until they get the system down.

The E route now travels all around campus as opposed to sticking to the west side of campus. The D route and E route will have more buses than last year, but they will be buses from other routes, not new ones.

A shuttle should arrive at each stop once every 10 minutes according to USF Transportation Manager Rick Fallin, but students should know that traffic, among other things, could alter the schedule.

“Our target is 10 minutes … there are some times, though, when traffic is so bad that we can’t get a bus down one street in 10 minutes, let alone around a whole route,” Fallin said.

It is especially important to show up to a stop early if you are trying to get to a test; professors do not want to hear that you are late because you sat at a bus stop for 20 minutes rather than walk to class.

“Plan well, study the maps … plan well, study the maps,” were Fallin’s tips for making sure you get to where you need to go on time.

Parking passes at USF are pricey, with a yearly pass costing more than $100. One way to cut back on parking costs is to buy a Park-n-Ride parking pass. These are less expensive and allow students to park in parking lots that are farther from buildings than most other lots. The Bull Runner services them, however, so students who enjoy riding the shuttle may want to consider the deal.

Students can find more information on the Bull Runner, including hours and an online map of the routes, at www.usf.edu/bullrunner .