Dear William & Mary Administration, Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, and Student Assembly,

Currently, we, the students of William & Mary, are left without a safe, reliable means of transportation during the late hours of the night. Despite the many stores, restaurants, and student service buildings that remain open well into the evening, and the numerous club meetings, rehearsals, study sessions, and campus activities that take place after hours, the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA) buses stop servicing campus as early as 9PM.

This was not always the case. Prior to 2020, the campus WATA route (Route 8) ran until 10PM, and at one point even extended to 1AM. However, despite substantial growth in both the overall student population and the number of students living off campus, due in part to new developments like Current Midtown and High Street View, transportation offerings have actually become more limited.

This gap in service disproportionately affects students without access to a personal vehicle or those who are not in a condition to drive safely. Without late-night buses, many are forced to walk long distances in the dark, sometimes for 20 to 30 minutes. This presents a significant safety concern, especially during the winter months when it gets dark early, or in inclement weather. It also places an undue burden on those with evening on-campus jobs, academic commitments, or accessibility needs. The Campus Escort service is often advertised as a late night transportation option, however we believe that one golf cart with a max capacity of 2 passengers is nowhere sufficient for a student body of more than 8000.

Student safety must be a priority. Many other Virginia public universities already provide late-night transportation options. The University of Virginia's Night Pilot route runs until 2AM daily. Virginia Tech offers service until 1AM on weekdays and 3AM on weekends. Longwood University’s campus shuttle operates until 1AM every night. William & Mary students deserve a similar level of service.

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on WATA, the Student Assembly, and the William & Mary administration to work together to extend campus bus service to at least 11PM on weekdays and 1AM on Friday and Saturday nights. Doing so would promote safety, equity, and greater participation in both campus and community life.

Below is a proposed route that we believe would best connect major evening hubs with on-campus dorms and the most popular off-campus student housing. The one-way loop structure is designed to move students from key nighttime activity areas to residence halls and then to off-campus housing:

We urge you to consider the needs of the student body and act in support of expanded, equitable transportation access.