Two years after Biola launched its first student shuttle, and more than a year after a second shuttle was added, students are still concerned about its limited resources.

The city route shuttle carts students from the university to the Brea Westfield Shopping Center only on Saturdays and Sundays, but stops by the La Habra Regal Cinemas, the dollar theater in La Mirada and the La Habra Kohl’s on a daily basis. The apartment route circles from Biola to the Block apartments every day of the week.

Alexis Bolden, a sophomore art major, rides the shuttle approximately three or four times per week. She said she mainly goes to Target and Walmart in La Habra for groceries, but often takes the apartment route to her home near Biola after she gets out of class.

LIMITED DESTINATIONS

Both Bolden and Daniel Turner, a junior music major, said their main complaint with the shuttle is its limited number of destinations.

“It only makes certain stops on certain days, not throughout the whole week,” Bolden said. “It would be nice if it stopped … at the mall several times a week, not just two days.”

Another concern is the perceived lack of students actually using the shuttle. When Bolden was riding the shuttle on a Friday afternoon, only eight of the 24 seats were filled. And when she rides home at night, the apartment route is often empty besides her.

Rod Denouden, who has been a Biola shuttle driver since February of this year, said the shuttle sometimes does the entire 45-minute cycle with few to no passengers.

“I go whole rounds with nobody on them,” he said.

However, these ghost rides are often temporary and the shuttle usually becomes more full as the night goes on, according to Denouden.

“The only time it was empty for the whole night was we drove some in June during the summer,” Denouden said. “It was real slow.”

DRIVERS A HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHUTTLE

In spite of the shuttle’s shortcomings, Bolden said one of the things she appreciates the most are the shuttle operators, like Denouden.

“The drivers are nice enough to make a special stop for me so I don’t have to walk home at night. I live nearby but it takes 20 or 30 minutes to walk and I have night classes,” Bolden said.

In return, Denouden said he enjoys driving the shuttle. He began working the night shift after leaving his job as a credit manager for a sand and gravel company.

“This is actually my ‘before retirement’ job. I’m too young to retire but it’s nice just to have a job like this,” he said. “I prefer daytime hours, but I like doing what I do. I like both the driving and having the students around all the time.”

Turner, who rides the shuttle usually once a week to the La Habra shopping center, said he enjoys the experience overall.

“My favorite thing would be being able to get off campus and also the people who drive, because they’re really awesome. And it’s free,” he said.