![APPROVED, Alan Wang ’24 on College Street in front to Parker Hall where covered bus stop will be built on lawn behind him. 11/13/2023 16:25:54 Transportation for Bates awang3@bates.edu 5075817683 Student Better Bus Stop for Bates The MaineDOT is planning on implementing a commuter bus line between Lewiston and Portland. The bus line is set to terminate at Bates near Underhill Arena. However, the bus stop might not be pleasant and intuitive to use. Study from University of Minnesota show that bus stop amenities have a direct relationship with rider's perceived waiting time; having a bench can reduce the perceived waiting time by half compared to a stop without a bench. A well-equipped bus stop can entice more people to use it, thus reducing Bates' carbon footprint. "A bus shelter costs around $5,500. I want to apply for the full $2,000 grant to ultimately put this money back in the school's pocket, in the form of a well-designed bus shelter. This green fund can be a part of a larger funding package, I'm assuming that MaineDOT and the operator of this bus line will both pitch in to fund this shelter. The bus shelter should protect riders from weather elements, display proper signage and maps, equip with lighting and seating. MaineDOT also recommends installing bike racks and trash cans. The green grant can be used to achieve aspect(s) of the above objectives. " Increase comfort level when using public transportation. Reduce perceived waiting time. Encourage faculties and staff to commute using public transportation, thus reducing GHG emissions and free up parking spots.](https://www.bates.edu/news/files/2024/05/240522_Green_Grant_Recipients_0557-200x133.webp)
For mayor of Auburn, a remarkable current event
Auburn mayor John Jenkins ’74 was the subject of a story by longtime Portland Press Herald columnist Bill Nemitz, who wrote, “Forty years ago last spring, John Jenkins stood on the stage at his high school in Newark, N.J., and proudly shook the hand of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. One week after that, King was dead, felled by an assassin’s bullet. And Newark, like so many other American cities, was ablaze with anger. Now here Jenkins stood on the National Mall…on the morning of Martin Luther King Day. In a day’s time, hundreds of thousands of Americans were going to pack this frozen space to witness the inauguration of…the country’s first black president.” Jenkins, who is black, told Nemitz that Obama connects with mainstream white America because he speaks about everyday problems using everyday language. The effect is “transformational,” Jenkins said. “It really changes people’s hearts. It’s not that you change them. They change themselves.”
Read Bill Nemitz’s article here.