Montclair State University students are still struggling with campus transportation after shuttle services has not been able to provide a new mobile bus tracking app.
In an email, shuttle services communicated to the community that Nexbus (UMO), the bus tracking app, will no longer be available due to the ongoing technical issues during the past several months.
Some students like Elizabeth Uzhca, a junior marine biology and coastal sciences major, expressed a bad experience with the use of the app.
“[The app] was very inaccurate from the beginning,” Uzhca said. “And then after probably a month, it just stopped working overall and stopped saying when the shuttle was coming, so that’s kind of why I deleted [it] after like two months. I usually just end up walking despite the weather because I never know when [a] shuttle is going to come.”
Judah Mora, a junior medical humanities major, was shocked to hear they got rid of the Nexbus app completely.
“Not like I knew where and when the shuttles were coming when they did have it,” Mora said. “One shuttle won’t come for over a half hour and then three buses come back to back.”
Mora has experienced the issue with multiple students who notice the problem with Nexbus as well.
“I have been waiting for the shuttle with like 30 other people for 30 whole minutes because no one knew when the next would be coming,” Mora said. “There was just a lot of issues with [the app].”
Suhani Patel, a junior biology and medical humanities major, said she would rather walk to her classes from The Village than wait for the shuttles because of how unpredictable the app was.
“Not knowing when they were coming was the issue,” Patel said. “I’m waiting in the cold and then I also wouldn’t know how to time getting to my classes, because I didn’t know where they were, so I was late. Walking is more reliable and I beat the shuttle nine out of 10 times.”
Patel believes a new app that actually works would be super beneficial for students.
“I think a new app would be helpful,” Patel said. “Then I would know [if] I walk to class or wait for the shuttle.”
William Fitzpatrick, Assistant Vice President for University Facilities and Logistic Support, explained what some of the issues with Nexbus were and said the university is working to find a solution.
“The Nexbus tracking app was discontinued because the vendor no longer supported the application,” Fitzpatrick said. “We are actively working to find a suitable replacement. Unfortunately we do not have a timeline now. However, we are confident whatever solution we select would be an improvement.”
