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ERIN LUCEY The Vermont Cynic
First-years Jackie Bocchino (center) and Wren Tuten use the new TransLōc Rider bus app while waiting for the Redstone Express Nov. 13.
Bus tracking app hits campus
John Riedel Staff Writer
SGA just brought the new bus-tracking app, TransLōc Rider, to UVM. It’s now making its way onto phones across campus. “It’s more convenient than waiting for the bus,” first-year Max Buhac said. “For example, in class it notifies you when it [the bus] will come to the destination.” In the fall of 2013, senior Andrew Bowen, SGA vice president, began looking to bring a new bus-tracking app to UVM. “I think it [the app] is something that will be useful. I think you’ll center where you are going based on the buses,” sophomore Daniel Cardenas said. “If you have that app you are more apt to use the buses. I would definitely utilize it.” The app formerly used was Blirp It! However, it was stu-
dent-run and when those students graduated the app wasn’t updated, Bowen said. Blirp It! was a text-based system where students would text “blirpit” to a code number to get a response with an estimated arrival time for their stop, the SGA website stated. The bus driver was supposed to press a button at each stop but if they forgot to hit it the system would be a stop behind, Bowen said. “They had to do constant updates to keep it running,” he said. “That really frustrated me so I started doing research on companies that had provided this software.” Bowen considered two companies for the new app. One was TransLōc, which he ultimately chose, and the other was DoubleMAP, Bowen said. “TransLōc real time provides the information your passengers need and expect on the personal
devices they take everywhere,” the TransLōc website stated. “A big benefit to this was that there was company tech support so transportation services would not have to deal with getting a hold of busy students [to fix problems with the app],” Bowen said. Both companies bid to have a contract with UVM, but TransLōc offered the best deal, he said. “It costs UVM, I believe it’s a shade under $20,000 a year for everything,” Bowen said. “Comparatively, I know that some other schools were paying $1,000 per month per bus,” he said. “We have a fleet of 12 buses so that would’ve cost us $12,000 a month.” Some students downloaded the app early, however it wasn’t fully completed at that time, Bowen said. This left some students who downloaded the app early with
the assumption that the app didn’t work, he said. “I don’t think it really works based on what I’ve heard,” sophomore Charlie Zipprich said. “It’s awesome if it works, but I don’t really think it does,” firstyear Jake Barter said. The early version of the app had not yet added GPS to all of the buses, Bowen said. UVM was added to the app before all buses were running and it kept getting delayed because installing it in a lot of the buses took some time for transportation and parking services to do, he said. There have been some problems with lag time, sometimes it takes two seconds for the bus’ location to reach the app, Bowen said. “All kinks have [now] been fixed,” he said. It took about eight weeks to get the system installed and running, Bowen said.
Class schedules will change next fall due to planned construction for Central Campus. Provost David Rosowsky announced in an email Nov. 14 that next semester time between classes will be extended from a 15-minute interval to a 20-minute interval. “As part of planning for significant physical improvements to our Central Campus, we’ve given extensive consideration to the impact construction will have on current pedestrian routes,” Rosowsky said in the email. The new class schedule can be seen on the Registrar’s website. “It seems like a good idea with the construction,” junior Adam Sminkey said. However, Sminkey has never had any problems making it to a class on time before, he said. “Personally, I’m not gonna be here so I didn’t really care all that much,” said sophomore Emily Madsen, who will be studying abroad next fall. “If I were going to be here, I would say it would probably be kind of annoying,” Madsen said. “It doesn’t take that long to walk to classes anyway, but I understand if there were construction, it would make sense,” she said.
Laptop recovered by students after on-campus chase Jill Vaglica Staff Writer Recent laptop thefts have been a growing concern for UVM students. However, the most recent theft attempt was prevented by some student witnesses. The attempted theft took place in the Davis Center’s Mt. Mansfield Room Nov. 16.
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Sophomore Becky Ngo was doing homework, and left her table to go to the bathroom. Upon her return, a girl sitting at a nearby table came up to her and said ‘someone tried to steal your laptop,’ Ngo said. Some students who witnessed the theft chased the individal and retrieved the laptop, she said. One of these “laptop resucers” was junior Jon Tolen. Follow us on Instagram
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As they were chasing the man, Tolen said that he yelled for people to call 911. “So many people ignored us, and walked away and wouldn’t [help],” he said. “I was angry that he just stole a laptop,” Tolen said. “He said he was going to stab us.” Junior Dan Lane was the other student who helped retrieve the laptop. “I had my laptop stolen this F o l l o w u s o n Tw i t t e r
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summer, so it’s actually pretty aggravating,” Lane said. When Ngo’s laptop was returned she “cried even more and went up to thank and hug him for getting her laptop back to her,” she said. “I am so thankful for these people risking to help a complete stranger and glad that I got my laptop back safely,” Ngo said. The individual was appre-
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hended by police services officers after the incident. The name of the individual has not been released at this time. The Cynic will be following up on this incident. “We charged a person with petty larceny for taking a laptop,” said Lt. Larry Magnant of police services. The individual will appear in
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