A throng of students anxiously awaits the Palo Alto Courtesy Shuttle’s arrival on Embarcadero Road just outside of Paly grounds after school. With the shuttle’s arrival, the mass of students aggressively squeezes through the narrow doors of the vehicle.

“It’s ridiculous,” says Paly sophomore Evan Tsagaris, a shuttle passenger.

“You have to go through all this just to get home everyday,” says Paly sophomore Carissa Caryotakis a regular shuttle-rider.

According to frequent shuttle-goers, students who do not shove their way onto the shuttle rarely get a seat. Sometimes these students cannot make it on the shuttle at all.

In an effort to reduce the number of kids stuffed against the shuttle windows, the shuttle driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, now counts students as they walk on board. According to the driver, this is the only way to enforce the policy of “While shuttle moves, only 10 people standing,” as a sign on the bus interior reads. This strategy is frustrating for students who are less forceful in their pursuit of getting through the shuttle doors and who must consequently wait fifteen minutes more until the next shuttle comes.

“It’s kind of nice to get some exercise after school,” sophomore Ellen Weaver, says sarcastically. “[Riding the shuttle is] like being in a wrestling match.”

In order to beat the daily crowd for a seat, sophomore Hilary Brennan-Marquez and Caryotakis, searched for a shuttle stop farther up Embarcadero Road or El Camino Real. Unfortunately for Brennan-Marquez and Caryotakis, there is not a stop located close to Paly on El Camino Real for them to take. The Embarcadero shuttle route starts at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation; continues along to the Caltrain station, through Middlefield Rd., Newell Rd., Louis Rd., Greer Rd., and ends at East Bayshore Rd.

According to a presentation published on the internet in May 2004 by Gayle Likens, Palo Alto Transportation Projects Manager, the Embarcadero shuttle carries approximately 38,900 passengers a year, while the Crosstown shuttle carries 99,200 riders a year. Students who ride the Palo Alto Crosstown and Embarcadero shuttles are estimated to be 74% of the total passengers. Although the bus fare is free to commuters, it costs about $41,010 a year to run the Embarcadero shuttle, and $268,946 dollars a year for the Crosstown shuttle. Likens said that the Palo Alto Unified School District pays 50% of this and Caltrain pays the rest.

As indicated by Likens in her presentation, the City of Palo Alto has also noticed the immediate issue of passenger capacity. The City had hoped that their contractor, Parking Company of America, PCA, would provide a larger vehicle; however, the contractor said in Liken’s presentation that they “do not have readily available vehicles in the inventory at this time.” In frustration, the city has thought of leasing a transit bus to accommodate the amount of passengers at after school times. They have been unsuccessful, according to Likens.

Until PCA can obtain a larger vehicle to use for the Embarcadero and Crosstown shuttles, students will just have to survive the trip home. For now, the shuttle riders hope that people can have enough chivalry to form a line.