Public Safety introduced the new TripShot app on Oct. 2 to improve student experience with SHUFly and SafeRide using real-time tracking and other quality-of-life features.
TripShot gives students a 7-day schedule of when and where the SHUFly runs, and requests for a SafeRide. Students are also able to turn on notifications for the app to notify them how close the SHUFly is to their stop in case there are any traffic or weather delays.
“We wanted to look for something that was more efficient for the students instead of having two different apps,” said Marisol Rivera, the Parking Services manager. “I really appreciate feedback, so I listened to all the complaints that came through last year and that's why we decided to make a difference.”
One of the things that she said had sold her on this particular app was its user-friendly interface for students and the notification system.
“In Ora Manor, they might be waiting outside for 10 minutes in the rain and snow and they want to be notified,” Rivera said. “Now you could put it as close to notify me within one minute to notify me in 15 minutes when the bus comes.”
Parking Services said they are excited about this new app and what it has to offer. However, they added that it comes with its own set of challenges.
“We have everything labeled as SHUFly and SafeRide, and the only thing that they can't customize is the wording, so now it's kind of like retraining the community,” Rivera said. “‘On Demand’ is SafeRide and ‘Routes’ is SHUFly.”
Since its release, TripShot has received positive feedback from the students. “It's a lot more user-friendly compared to the PDF schedule online,” said Rachel Kelman, a freshman marketing major.
Kelman said she typically rides the SHUFly two to three times a week to Target or Walgreens, but sometimes to the South Orange train station for plans in New York City.
“I have a very important train to catch today and I know exactly what time the bus is going to pick up and drop me off, so it’s already been really useful to me,” she said.
Annika Aguirre, a freshman art history major, agreed that the app has already been very useful to her. One of its best features is real-time tracking, she said.
“I just got a job downtown and I have to be there at a set time every week,” she said. “Tracking the SHUfly is very helpful because I can see in advance if it's running later than usual.”
Although Aguirre has found some ways to utilize the app, she said she thinks that there is room for improvement.
“I wish you could see the true capacity or how full it is,” she said. “I've run into a few situations where I had to wait for the next bus to come because the bus is full.”
The app has a feature that allows students to see how many others have tapped on to the bus, but students say it isn’t always accurate. Most think this is a minor issue that could be fixed now that the schedule is on a digital platform.
“I think that they could accurately label the buses and the passenger sizes,” said Adreanna Dones, a freshman diplomacy major. “I've been in situations where I’m with a group of people and they fill a bus all the way up to 19 people when it only holds 21, but sometimes there's actually less people.”
Dones thinks this is only a minor inconvenience to students and is excited to have an app like TripShot available to students.
“I'll be able to track the SHUFly a lot better and be able to arrive on time compared to extremely early or extremely late,” she said. “It’s just a lot easier for me to commute this way.”
Alexis Harris can be reached at alexis.harris@student.shu.edu.
