SRU students learn, ‘The wheels on the bus go’ … to the heart of the city

Feb. 6, 2019

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - "All aboard! Next stop, Pittsburgh!" That could very well become a familiar refrain for Slippery Rock University students taking advantage of new monthly bus excursions to the Steel City. Coordinated by SRU's Office of Student Success, the day- or weekend-long trips will provide ample opportunities to sample life in the big city.

After hearing many students vocalize their desires to travel to the city every now and then, only to run smack dab into a roadblock known as a lack of transportation, David Wilmes, SRU's associate provost for student success, figured it was time to play Uber driver.

"This group of trips is a pilot program to gauge student interest in more regularly scheduled bus trips to Pittsburgh," Wilmes said. "Over the three years I've been at SRU, I've been hearing a lot about something like this from students - wanting to experience the sights, sounds and activities of the city to which we are so close, but unable to do so because of lack of transportation - so we decided to just go for it and give it a try."

The shuttle will take students roundtrip from SRU's Smith Student Center to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh the weekends of Feb. 9-10, March 23-24 and April 13-14. Wilmes said his office set up the schedule so that students can choose whether they want to stay in the city for just a few hours or stay through the weekend.

"Whether it's a day trip for shopping or they want to visit friends at Duquesne University or the University of Pittsburgh for the weekend, travelers have that choice and ability to do as they wish," Wilmes said.

"If students are excited about this and they want it to happen or help us decide if it should become a regular thing in the future, they need to go," Wilmes said. "We need students to vote with their feet by walking onto the bus."

The excursions, priced at $10 per person for roundtrip travel, will depart the SSC each Saturday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and return from Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. Sundays will see a 10 a.m. departure time from the SSC with return times from Pittsburgh of 11:15 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Seating is limited to the 48 students each trip. For additional information, visit the Office of Student Success CORE page or email: student.success@sru.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Bush | 724.738.2091 | mxb1092@sru.edu