The NYU Trolley

As an NYU student I have to say that I am not for the NYU Bus system. In NYC there is already a solid transportation network that serves people just fine. NYU adding its own private buses into the mix means more congestion on the streets, more pollution, more potential traffic and pedestrian accidents, and an unfair kind of elitism. When you see these NYU busses ply the streets nearly empty and yet remain completely inaccessible to other New Yorkers, it’s not surprising that the local Village community has had some unpleasant things to say about them. I am sure the elderly person waiting for the M8 might like to have a seat on the trolley get to her destination. This is elitism and it’s not necessary when the city’s bus system can serve students, faculty and NYU staff just fine.

Not sure why it has such poor reviews, but I am a current undergrad at NYU and I find the trolley extremely convenient.
There’s only one (it’s «Route C») and it travels from the Washington Sq Campus up Third Ave, across 14^th Street, up First Ave, then travels across 20^th St, makes a loop around Stuyvesant Town, and goes back to campus.
The driver is very nice, drives well, and the trolley is punctual 99% of the time, unlike the NYU buses. If it says the trolley will arrive at 11:21AM, it will arrive at 11:21.
It only runs in the mornings (M-​Thur) but is still a convenient way of getting to campus.
I’m paying tuition for it, why not ride it?

So when I attended NYU ages ago, I remembered this being a nice way to commute in to Washington Square from Battery Park City. I took it this week for the first time in years to go over to Stuyvesant Town, and it felt decidedly different. I was trying to escape the cold, and I thought why not for the sake of nostalgia? I don’t know. The seats in the front are now along the sides forcing you to stare in the face of the person directly sitting across from you — great! It’s like speed dating for the budget-​conscious. Also, the trolley now has 2 doors for exits — so most people no longer thank the driver (that used to be nice). It just felt like I was on a city bus. And I guess I was, I just remembered it being nicer. Too bad. I guess sometimes nostalgia belongs in the past…

These fuckers are more omnipresent than NYC city buses. I shit you not. On Bway while waiting for a city bus, I counted 6 NYU Trolleys drive by before my NYC bus arrived. Blah.

You know, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I am not a fan of The NYU Trolley. I mean, what is it going for? I think it has a bit of an identity crisis.
First off, it’s not a true trolley because it does not operate on a track.
Second off, is it just for NYU students and staff? Parents coming to visit on family weekend? Tourists who clearly have nothing better to do? Homeless people who found a loophole in the system? Too vague for my taste.
Third, when I was a student, we had a van that would only be used by International students and drunk girls late at night. I don’t really see the NYU Trolley offering such a practical service except to make people look really stupid and to piss off taxi drivers even more.
Overall, I am not a fan of the NYU Trolley, as I do not want my mode of travel to look like a giant eggplant and drive 10 miles an hour. NYC already has an extensive public transportation system and NYU doesn’t need it’s own mini train set since most students walk everywhere anyway. C’mon ride the NYU train, not the Trolley
For those of you interested in where the NYU train starts, freshman dorms are located off second ave. I believe. GOULET!!!