By Michael Kennedy

It was good news for commuter students and faculty of the University of Louisville when on Monday the Federal Transit Authority decided that the Transit Authority of River city (TARC) may continue to operate its shuttle service for U of L.
Miller Transportation had challenged the shuttle service, TARC Route 94, the “Cardinal Shuttle,” claiming it constituted a “charter service.” This action would require U of L to open it to private transportation services.
Route 94 runs around the Belknap campus, with 11 stops along the way, linking the parking lot at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium with the rest of the campus.  Underclassmen commuter students with purple parking passes primarily use the Cardinal Stadium parking lot.
The opinion reversed an FTA decision from October which ruled the service was a charter service. 
“I thought it was charter service; I thought there might be an opportunity for [Miller Transportation] to do it, so I asked them if this was charter service,” John Miller, President of Miller    Transportation said.
By showing that Route 94 shares stops with two other TARC routes, TARC convinced the FTA who then determined the shuttle was not “exclusive,” and thus not a charter.
TARC Executive Director Barry Barker said the U of L shuttle route is an integral part of TARC services.
“It’s great to know we can continue to partner with U of L in what we see as an important endeavor,” Baker said.
By sharing bus stops with two TARC routes, numbers two and 29, students have an alternative way to get to campus. 
The university’s partnership with TARC is responsible for 900 fewer cars coming to campus, Vice President of Business Affairs, Larry Owsley, said.
“[TARC makes] sure folks have a green way to get to and from the university,” Baker said.
Students have mixed opinions about TARC’s shuttle service.
Freshman business major Anna McGuffin rides it everyday and said she has no complaints about the service.
The only complaint heard was that at peak times the buses may be crowded, forcing students to wait for subsequent buses.  This inconvenience is handled by the buses being scheduled to arrive every four minutes Monday through Thursday and every five minutes on Friday. 
“Earlier today there were 50 people waiting to get on the bus and you couldn’t get on because it was full,” Jordan Nichols, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, said.  “It doesn’t seem like they’re running the right amount of buses at the right time.”
Love it or hate it, the Cardinal Shuttle is a necessity for many commuter students and thanks to the FTA’s decision, it is here to stay.
As a result of the opinion, TARC will continue operating the shuttle buses. And U of L students will continue to ride the TARC free with a student I.D.