First and foremost, we bid farewell to the Spring Garden shuttle as we move into the new academic year. Franklin House, which was once a transfer-student residence hall located in the museum district of the city, will not be used for campus housing beginning this semester. Therefore, the need for the shuttle has been eliminated.
However, the rest of the shuttle system remains unchanged and fairly simple to navigate. Temple will continue to offer transportation to and from the Ambler, Tyler, Podiatry, Center City, and Health Science campuses. Furthermore, the owLoop, an intra-campus shuttle, runs seven nights a week from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Main Campus.
The owLoop makes upwards of 25 stops on and around Main Campus. From east to west, the route covers the area between Ninth and 18th Streets, and goes from Susquehanna Street to Girard Avenue in the north-south direction. The owLoop is a safe alternative to walking after dark, in the cold, and to walking or driving after drinking.
Students can also save on taxi fare by taking the owLoop to the location nearest to their destination and then pick up a cab from there. Several owLoop buses run each night, and the entire loop takes about 20 minutes. A map of the loop and specific pick-up locations can be found at https://www.temple.edu/facilities/loopmap1.htm.
The inter-campus shuttles run at least every hour. All depart from and return to the bus stop at 12th Street and Berks Mall, with the exception of the Center City/Podiatry bus, which picks up and drops off at Broad Street and Berks Mall. Most shuttles make several stops at varying time intervals throughout the day and on weekends.
All of the schedules and route maps can be obtained at the Info Desk on the main level of the Student Activities Center, by calling the transportation hotline at 215-204-7377, or online at https://www.temple.edu/facilities/transhome1.htm.
This Web site also includes a feedback form and advice for riding the buses-like to arrive early and be prepared to show your OwlCard upon boarding. Also posted is a disclaimer that the times of arrival and departure are estimates only, and may vary according to weather and other factors.
To ensure a stress-free shuttle experience, double check your schedule and bus-stop location arrive early, and (if last year’s SEPTA strike taught us nothing else) always have a back up plan. Happy travels.
Mary Schell can be reached at mary.schell@temple.edu
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