MIA CATILLO
Special to The Denisonian
In need of a ride to any location within Licking County? Fear no more! Coming soon to Denison there will be shuttles escorting students to places within Licking County.
This service will be starting in the coming weeks, after Spring break, in order to provide more options for students to get off campus and see more of Ohio. In Licking County, there are countless shops and boutiques that one can visit. For example, there is the Canal Market District, which has local markets with food vendors and organic food sold from local farmers. There are also food options such as Daisy’s Diner in Newark.
In order to secure a ride for a trip, riders must schedule the shuttle at least one day in advance, before 1:00 p.m. The information that must be provided is located below.
The cost of a one-way trip to anywhere within Licking County is five dollars. Riders must have the exact amount of the payment for the fare in cash. The drivers do not carry change and only accept cash. Payment of fares is expected at the time of service. Drivers cannot accept advance payment of trips including payment for return trips.
Licking County’s shuttles will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week.
This service is a much easier and accessible way to get off campus compared to Easton, which is a 30 minute trip. The Licking County shuttles are helpful for a quick trip off campus to run to the grocery store or simply just explore local Ohio and areas that are different from Granville.
This service is also an extra effort put in by Denison staff in order to expand the horizons of young students and further instill the message of exploration into the student body. While some students are able to bring a car to campus, many students struggle to get around the neighboring towns. Freshmen are expected to be the main target group that will use these shuttles as many do not have cars.
Sarah Stumpf ‘20, from Flintridge, California, said, “I can’t wait for the shuttles to Licking County to see what else Ohio has to offer. I’m from out of state, and I’ve only seen Easton and Granville so I’m super excited for this opportunity.”
Stumpf is not alone in her excitement. Many other out-of-state students feel this way about seeing Ohio as well.
Jane Scott ‘20, from Charlottesville, Virginia, said, “I’ve always wanted to go to Licking County because I heard there are a lot of fresh food markets that I want to try.”
“I’m from California so getting a car to Ohio is not really that easy, but I also end up needing rides into Heath and Newark all the time,” said Christopher Fisher ‘20, from San Francisco. “These shuttles would make things less stressful on me and now I can explore more places in Licking County, like Johnstown.”
Licking County vows to provide safe service. The shuttle service states in the mission statement advertised that “The Licking County Transit Board is dedicated to providing safe transportation to improve the quality of life for the maximum number of Licking County citizens. We recognize that this can best be accomplished by partnering with others in the Licking County community.”
To schedule a ride, call 740-670- 5185, press #1 or 1-800-350-7071, or visit Licking County’s Site at www. lcounty.com/depts/public/default.htm.