Thanks to SGA and Public Safety, a new and improved off-campus weekend shuttle service has been established for members of the Villanova community.

Put into effect last Friday, the new route was designed to remedy the overwhelming feeling of isolation felt by underclassmen still recovering from losing their driving privileges as well as to aid faculty and staff members in their ventures away from campus.

According to Liz Malinowski, SGA’s director of internal affairs, they have been developing this project since last year when they began working with the Concerns and Issues Committee to extend the King of Prussia Mall weekend shuttle hours.

“The East Main Line Shuttle was developed to give students an easy way to get to centralized and popular locations in the neighboring towns without having to deal with the train,” Malinowski said.

Multiple trial runs were successful in generating an overwhelmingly positive student response due to the fact that the new system fit students’ needs more effectively.

Beginning and ending from Pike Lot, the buses now visit Main Line hot spots such as Hope’s Cookies, Peace a Pizza, Cosi, Bertucci’s and Suburban Square.

Kathleen McFadden, a freshman communication major, found the new route to be more accommodating as well as practical.

“The old shuttle route was all right, but it limited the places you could go and went at inconvenient times,” McFadden said. “I felt stuck on campus sometimes, but this new route goes to places that everyone loves.”

Other students, such as freshman marketing major Kevin Murphy, are skeptical about the schedule alterations.

“I see it as rather superfluous because I don’t see myself using it a lot,” Murphy said. “It’s a waste of Villanova resources.”

Another big stir from the new schedule involves the shuttle to Minella’s Diner on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

A revised version of transportation times to the King of Prussia Mall is also being embraced by students eager to escape campus life. In addition to operating on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., a daytime service is now being offered that begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday and runs until 12:30 a.m.

While last semester’s weekend off-campus route involved Harcum College, Borders, Rosemont College and Falvey Library, this new change has been welcomed by the student body.

Leigh Anne Hart, a sophomore business major, finds the convenience of this revised route to be a benefit not only to students but to the University as well.

“I feel that the new system is a great attribute to Villanova,” Hart said. “It will also be a good way for Villanova students to get off campus with greater ease.”

SGA officials proposed the idea to vice president of Student Life, the Rev. John Stack, O.S.A., who granted Public Safety and SGA nearly $16,000 to fund the new services this semester. A Villanova WildCard must be shown in order to board the shuttle, and for those who miss the last ride, SGA and Public Safety recommend calling Bennett Cabs.