This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Rachel Barker.
The fee for the Student Association-sponsored bus service has doubled from last year.
Colonial Coach, a shuttle to Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International airports, will cost students $10, an increase from last year’s $5 fee. Paying for Colonial Coach is still significantly less than what a taxi or Super Shuttle fee would cost but the shuttle, now in its third year of operation, began as a free service for students looking to save money on their way home for Thanksgiving break.
The SA’s executive revenue account originally covered the entire Colonial Coach costs but former SA President Nicole Capp instituted the $5 fee to cover part of the expenses last year. This year’s increase is due to rising gas prices, said Tabisa Walwema, the SA vice president of public affairs.
“Even though the price of gas has decreased in recent weeks when the contract was made they were still astronomical,” she said.
Colonial Coach buses will leave from the Marvin Center at 10 a.m, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25 and Wednesday, November 26. Students can purchase tickets in the Marvin Center SA Office. Online booking, which was available to students last year, is no longer listed as an option.
With all the extra funds the SA has access to this year after the fee increase…why do the students have to suffer another tax by the SA? The SA should have more than enough funds to cover the extra gas costs (which by the way gas is down to record level lows as of today). I voted last year in the Senate in favor of the student fee increase because it would better enable both student groups and the SA to serve students. Charging students $5 more for Colonial Couch this year (a service that was free originally) is a gross injustice to students who are being forced to pay even more for this SA service during the present economic downturn. Isn’t GW expensive enough?
Gotta love how they announce this a week before Thanksgiving, after everyone’s already bought their plane tickets – money well spent! I heard vishal put some freshman in charge of it?
how would you know, Andrew?