The following is an opinion article, and opinion articles do not reflect the views of The Tulane Hullabaloo.

Tulane provides transportation across New Orleans and allows students to take part in community service and the city’s various entertainment opportunities. Along with these benefits, however, come the complications many students noticed during the Voodoo Music and Arts Experience.

The shuttle system was a mess during Voodoo. Students who were not able to take a shuttle had to find taxis or even resort to walking back to campus. Students who did wait for the shuttles attempted to board in mobs. 

Director of Shuttles and Transportation Brian Lowe said the department did its best in sending as many shuttles as possible to City Park to bring students back to campus from Voodoo. The shuttles were able to transport a total of 1,964 students back from City Park on Nov. 1 and 2. While this number is staggering, the Department of Student Affairs should make sure it better communicates the number of shuttles available and what students should do if they are unable to take one back to campus. 

Lowe said the best option for students trying to get back to campus would have been to wait at City Park for the shuttles. By calling a number on the back of a splash card, students could have gotten a shuttle’s estimated time of arrival. This was not advertised to students and with the lack of organization, would not have changed the situation very much. 

There should have been more supervisors on site at City Park reassuring students that the buses were coming and keep them from charging the buses to ensure students were informed and safe. Lowe said Transportation Services used its manpower to supply more shuttles, but having someone coordinating on-site is just as vital to the operation. 

Though students also attended Voodoo on Oct. 31, the shuttles did not operate because of a home football game at Yulman Stadium. 

Stopping entertainment shuttles for a football game cuts off access to other options students may want over the weekend.

Not every student attends home football games. Even if they do attend, a large number of students tend to swarm out of the stadium at halftime. Transportation services should understand that students have different interests or priorities, so operating shuttles would be beneficial for students.

Students also need to realize that there is no need to be rude and form mobs to get on these shuttles. At the end of the day, everyone has the same priority — getting home safely.

Daniel Horowitz is a freshman in the Newcomb-Tulane College. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].