The Gael Express is piloting a new shuttle route to the Pelham Bay train station that is set to launch in the spring 2016 semester to help ease travel for commuter students.

The shuttle route was added after many students who rely on public transportation to get home couldn’t take the Bee Line bus after night classes end at 9:30 p.m. since bus service stops well before then.

In order to make travel easier on students, security will add a route to take students from campus to the Pelham Bay train station to be able to utilize bus services.

The plan is for a van to leave at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday (the days that night classes are in session). Students interested in taking the van need to sign up beforehand in the security office in LaPenta.

According to Associate Director of Campus Safety and Security Douglas McLeer, the route was added after students expressed interest.

“The Pelham Bay route was recommended by the SGA last year after a survey of the student body revealed interest, especially from students residing in that area who commute via public transportation,” McLeer said.

Currently, only one van has been allocated to the route. If more students show interest, a second van will be added.

However, a second van would come at a cost: interrupted service to the regular service from campus to the New Rochelle train station.

“If heavy interest is shown, there is the possibility of a second shuttle being added when and if necessary, but this would affect the regularly scheduled shuttle from campus to the New Rochelle train station,” McLeer said.

Junior Arlene Vivar sees this service as a helpful one and wishes that it was offered earlier in her college career.

“I honestly wish this was around sooner,” Vivar said. “It would’ve made my first two years easier.”

Vivar, a commuter assistant in the Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Services, meets with other commuters to discuss how to make commuting easier.

“Since all of my freshmen are from the Bronx, they’re going to get good use out of it,” she said.

This schedule, Vivar points out, doesn’t cover the other days that commuter students may be on campus late at night.

“I know that this pilot program is aiming at commuter students [taking] night classes, but what about students that want to be more involved?” she said. “I constantly hear my freshmen complain about not being able to go to campus events because they’re so late at night. It would be nice to see the Gael Express accommodate those students too.”

At this time, the Office of Safety and Security is not looking to add additional days to this route.

Also introduced this semester were routes that go to various shopping centers.

Shuttles to the Cross County Shopping Center, to Ridge Hill Shopping Center and to Target have been added to the Gael Express offerings this semester. These shuttles did not have the numbers originally expected, according to McLeer.

A special shuttle took students to Stop and Shop has been added on Fridays that is a part of the regularly scheduled Gael Express route. This is available every Friday the Gael Express is running and the schedule can be found on the Iona website.

On certain occasions, vans have stopped at local events like the Greek Church Festival and Poet’s Corner.

“These type runs are usually organized through Student Development, and we accommodate when possible,” McLeer said.

For more information about the Gael Express, visit its page on the Iona website at http://www.iona.edu/Home/Current-Students/Gael-Express-Shuttle.aspx.