Bus transportation is one of the most important services that the University of North Georgia provides for students on Gainesville and Dahlonega campuses.
UNG runs seven buses for both campuses. They are understaffed with only four drivers. Gainesville has two part-time drivers while Dahlonega has one full-time driver and one part-time driver.
The buses are available every week throughout each semester. On Mondays through Thursdays, Gainesville and Dahlonega campuses have their buses run from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For Fridays, Dahlonega campus have their buses run from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. while Gainesville campus have their buses run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The routes that the buses follow for the Dahlonega campus includes Dunlap, Health and Natural Sciences, Convocation Center, Rec Field Lot 64 located on Haney Road, and Hampmill which is the Fine Arts Complex. Gainesville’s routes include the Shuttle Lot, The Columns Apartments, the Student Center, and Hawk’s Nest at the Preserve.
UNG has 769 students that use the Dahlonega buses whereas 40 students use the Gainesville buses per day.
“The purpose is to help ensure the safety and comfort of all students, faculty, and staff who use the shuttle bus service and for sustainability purposes. The most important service campus shuttles provide is safety.”- Beverly Martin, the Manager of Parking and Transportation Services for Dahlonega campus
UNG hopes in the future that the bus transportation will expand due to demand requirements. She said, “We are considering this route for future services, but it is not sustainable at this time. UNG may expect Parking and Transportation Services to announce a pilot test route in Fall 2023.” The pilot test route will not impact the Parking and Transportation Fee.
For many students, this decision brings them hope if the university allows the Parking and Transportation Services to take them back and forth from Gainesville campus to Dahlonega campus. First year Art major Hannah Krol uses the bus whenever their parents are not available to pick them up after their classes. Since they do not have their license yet, they use the bus for their transportation. Krol said, “I believe it is important (that UNG provides the Gainesville to Dahlonega route) especially for students who need to take certain classes for their major,” They continued to say, “ I am going into Digital Art, and classes for my major are only available on the Dahlonega campus which is pretty far from where I live.”
