As students make travel plans for the Thanksgiving holiday, changes in the Dartmouth Coach's scheduling and pricing, as well special shuttles coordinated by the Student Assembly, promise to make the trip home a little smoother.
A popular transportation option for many students, the Dartmouth Coach, managed by Concord Trailways, offers several daily trips between Hanover and Boston.
Although previously only five daily trips were offered, as of October two more trips have been added to the schedule, a Concord Trailways driver said.
Already featuring stops in Lebanon and New London, coaches now also stop at Boston's South Station on the way to Logan Airport, significantly increasing the length of the trip to approximately three hours.
And although reservations are no longer required, students need not worry about buses overcrowding. "We know the days that you people all ride and we'll have extra buses on those days," the driver, who identified himself as Jerry, said. However, he does advise students to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early.
As added perks, round-trip ticket prices were reduced $10 to $55 and movie showings and snacks are now made available to passengers, Jerry said.
Also focused on serving students, the Student Assembly has coordinated reduced fares for students travelling to Boston and New York via Vermont Transit buses, Student Assembly Representative Jared Thorne '03 said.
Through Dartmouth Travel, students can reserve round-trip tickets on Vermont Transit to travel to Boston for $35 or New York for $65.
Leaving from the Hanover Inn just like the Dartmouth Coach, Vermont Transit buses will be available for students during the Thanksgiving break.
From now until Nov. 22, buses will leave at 12:30 p.m. for Boston and 12:25 p.m. for New York. Between Nov. 24 and Nov. 27, buses will return to Hanover, leaving Boston at 2 p.m. and New York at 11:45 a.m.
Student Assembly provides this service annually "so that students will have a cheaper way to go home from the holidays," Thorne said.
