(Archive May 2019) Letter to the Editor: Re: “The MWCC Commute: You Won’t Get Far on Foot” #1

Dear Editor,

Re: “The MWCC Commute: You Won’t Get Far on Foot” (The Mount Observer, March 6, 2019) 

In this article, you put a spotlight on the lack of available public transportation to many individuals here at Mount Wachusett Community College. I often see students waiting around at the various MWCC campus bus stops, but I rarely see the buses themselves. It was unknown to me just how dire the situation was. 

Growing up in an urban city for many years, public transportation was heavily relied upon. Between taking the bus to get to school and the train to get to work, I understand the struggle of being reliant on punctual and convenient transportation. However, it quickly became apparent that the city did not care what time school started or what time people’s shifts at work were. Those that could not work in harmony with the bus and train schedules were forced to walk, regardless of the weather. It seems as though many students attending MWCC face this problem on a regular basis, and their walking distance can be quite daunting. 

One plausible solution to the issue of nearly half the MWCC students living in cities with no access to public transportation between their homes class is for the school to develop its own bus system. The school could also create stops in each of the surrounding cities in which students live. This would no doubt drastically increase school fees, but this transportation expense could be subsidized by first requiring students who wish to use this service to sign a binding financial contract in which they pay a set amount for their term of schooling. This could potentially prevent students who have no use of this service from paying for its implementation. 

I am happy to hear that something is being done to address this problem. Students struggling to find a way to and from their classes that reach out to the Dean of Students’ Office or the SOS Office are hopefully given reasonable accommodations to resolve their transportation issues until a solution is found. 

Sincerely,
Joseph Noe, MWCC Student