New Trolleys to Debut on Syracuse University Campus This Fall

This fall, four trolleys purchased by the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services (BFAS) will begin to provide transportation on and around campus for the Syracuse University community. The trolleys will replace van, bus or shuttle vehicles currently operated by Birnie Bus, including the Quad Shuttle, the Warehouse Express, the Late Night Orange Express and the Euclid Shuttle route.

“The specific trolleys, which will accommodate between 16-22 people, were selected due to their size, reliability and modern accessibility features, which include air-suspension for kneeling, ramps and low floors,” says Rahmin Azria, assistant director of parking and transit services.

The University’s contract with Birnie Bus expired this year, which gave BFAS the opportunity to explore new options. After careful review and consideration, including financial implications, the University opted to move this transportation feature to the Office of Parking and Transit Services.

Azria says by bringing this resource in-house, the University will realize significant savings. He adds that by replacing former Birnie routes with vehicles controlled by the University, Parking and Transit Services will have much more flexibility in planning routes and adjusting quickly to community feedback. For example, this year, the Quad Shuttle route will expand to include the Barnes Center at The Arch and additional points on main campus.

The addition of the trolleys will be the latest in a series of improvements taken by Parking and Transit Services to enhance campus transportation options based on feedback from the community.

“Our division is committed to evolving to meet the needs of our students, faculty and staff, and offering accessible, reliable and comfortable transportation,” says Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president for business, finance and administrative services and chief financial officer. “We hope adding this option makes traversing campus more seamless for all members of our campus community.”

The trolleys are due to make their debut on campus in November.