WHITEWATER — Traveling two hours back and forth to get to class at UW-Whitewater may sound daunting. That is why leaders there are mulling the idea to add a shuttle bus.
Out of 12,000 students at UW-Whitewater, more than 4,000 live off-campus.
Matthew Kiederlen, chief of UW-Whitewater Police, says it is a way to tackle declining enrollment.
"Absolutely, that's part of the process," said Kiederlen.
Kiederlen is exploring if it is worth sending a shuttle bus from Whitewater to Milwaukee Monday through Friday. Junior Bailey Sturycz is from Milwaukee, and loves the idea.
"It's very easy at Whitewater to stack classes two days a week, so then being able to commute would be a huge money saver," said Sturycz. "To pay a smaller fee to use the shuttle bus two days a week, that saves thousands of dollars, which I could pay towards my tuition."
There is a shuttle available for students to visit home in Milwaukee on the weekends, but it comes with a fee. (Note of clarification: Footage of the Warhawk Shuttle that runs to and from Rock County IS FREE to students and staff.)
Officials hope offering the service on weekdays could also offset parking issues. They will finish a survey to see if there is enough interest. If campus officials give the green light, the added routes could start as early as next school year.
