Increased shuttle services are a priority this new academic year. Transportation and Parking Services added shuttles on routes that serve the University Town Center area. A new Coaster Shuttle route, which serves the La Jolla Medical Center and Torrey Pines Center, in addition to the main campus, also is in place so that Coaster riders now don’t have to pay MTS' Coaster Connector fares. In addition, the Hillcrest/campus shuttle now runs from 6 a.m. to 9:55 p.m. between the Hillcrest and La Jolla Medical Centers. The Campus Loop Shuttle now serves the discontinued Torrey Pines Center Shuttle route and operates year-round.

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System added service in the early morning on six routes in response to UCSD’s feedback. “We’ve explained our needs and they’ve listened,” said TPS Director Brian d’Autremont. “It’s a big step in the right direction.”

A new 180-square-foot transit hub is in the works, to be built along Gilman Drive between Myers Lane and Via La Jolla Drive. The goal is to create a new primary entry port to campus, d’Autremont said. Designers hope that the state-of-the-art, sustainable building will earn a LEED Gold certification. Set to open in January 2010, the hub will house student exhibits, covered seating and restrooms and serve an estimated 400 people daily.

Drivers will also find a dramatic increase in the number of pay stations available to buy daily parking permits around campus. There are now about 80 stations, while a few years ago, only a handful were available, d’Autremont said.

Looking forward, Transportation and Parking Services plans to study the current three-tier parking permit system. The department wants to find out whether there are more effective strategies to manage parking on campus. The study will include extensive campus outreach efforts.

Transportation and Parking also has implemented several recommendations based on customer input gathered this summer. They included: improved campus shuttle and transit routes, increased customer service training for staff, remodeling of the Gilman Parking Office, required name tags for all staff and developing a customer service survey.