Although many Hofstra University students – commuters and residents – rely on the campus shuttle to transport them to and from the Mineola and Hempstead train stations, difficulties with the shuttle schedule leave the service virtually unusable. After facing transportation woes, students have expressed frustration with the university’s lack of action on the issue
According to a 2023 U.S. News report, commuter students make up well over 50% of Hofstra’s student population, with many students and faculty members relying on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) daily. The main issue with the shuttle schedule is that it does not align with the Mineola train schedule or Hofstra class schedules. The earliest shuttle to Mineola departs campus at 4:07 p.m., forcing students who have early classes to wait for hours.
For students with classes concluding at 4:05 p.m., the short turnaround before departure makes the shuttle a pain to get to. Some students have reported needing to leave classes early to make it to the shuttle on time. Political Science professor Stefanie Nanes, who teaches a class ending at 4:05 p.m., has barely two minutes to make it from her classroom in Barnard Hall to the train shuttle stop on California Avenue.
“It’s idiotic, right?” Nanes said.
Hofstra’s train shuttle service did not always exist. Roughly 20 years ago, commuters used taxi services to commute between stations and the university. Yet, since the shuttle’s implementation, the LIRR has experienced drastic changes. There were more trains added to Grand Central and more tracks added between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma. Class schedules have also changed drastically. There used to be one common hour on Wednesdays, more classes that ran three days a week instead of two and more classroom overlap. When the class schedule changed, the schedule for the train shuttle did not.
Craig Dalton, associate professor of Global Studies and Geography, believes the shuttle works well within its limited frame, but understands the complaints about the schedule gap.
“I think this is a great system and I want to support it, but I also think it can work a lot better, even in an almost revenue-neutral fashion by running a better schedule,” Dalton stated.
To push for improvements, Dalton started a petition that gathered over 70 supporters. Dalton lined up the LIRR schedule, Hofstra’s class schedule and the shuttle’s schedule to note inconsistencies, the average time it takes for the shuttle to reach the stations and brought the data and petition to University administration. Dalton states that improvements are actively being worked on and remains hopeful for change.
“My impression is that they’re working on a schedule that better synchronizes the shuttle to the class schedule and to the Long Island Rail Road schedule,” Dalton said.
Not everyone is convinced with this plan. In addition to a difficult schedule, students and faculty deal with unclear shuttle stop locations, and shuttle stops with nothing protecting commuters from rain or chilly weather.
Aleena Raza, a first-year biology major, expressed frustration over inconsistent drop-off and pickup locations.
“When I got to the Mineola train station, the shuttle did not come to the place I first came from,” Raza said. “I had to walk to the opposite direction.”
The shuttle typically remains parked by the south lot of the Mineola train station near where the city buses are parked. At the time Raza arrived, it was near the opposite spot.
Hofstra has the tools to improve the shuttle for students, however, no concrete actions have been taken. While commuters feel disregarded and ignored, most have no choice but to be patient and hope for the best.
