When Georgetown University sold the Medical Center to MedStar in 2000 to avoid further financial losses, part of their agreement addressed traffic and parking issues. It was agreed that by 2002, MedStar would control almost 2,800 of the 4,080 on-campus parking spaces allowed by zoning laws—800 more than the hospital could use previously. To cope with this reduction in parking spaces available for University employee use, Georgetown developed a “transportation management plan” which, among other things, called for increased Georgetown University Transportation Services buses.
GUTS service increased in 2000 and remained available for use by hospital staff and patients, as well as University students, faculty, and staff. During this period MedStar contributed to the GUTS operational budget. However, June 16 marked the debut of new hospital bus system, independent of GUTS and funded by MedStar. Operated by International Limousine, these buses run to Rosslyn or Dupont Circle from Pasquerilla Health Center every 15 minutes during peak times and every 30 minutes otherwise. Beginning July 1, Georgetown University students and faculty and, strangely, medical students were no longer allowed on the MedStar buses.
After the University endured a parking shortage for the sake of placating MedStar, this is hardly an appropriate response. Given the University’s current financial woes, losing MedStar’s financial contribution could mean reductions in GUTS service to pre-2000 levels. Since GUTS’ beginnings in 1974, hospital employees have comprised a large percentage of its passengers. This abrupt decrease in demand coupled with the financial loss might necessitate even further cutbacks.
Having two mutually exclusive bus lines on a campus of this size is ridiculous. An employee of the GU Office of Transportation Management compared the situation to a “bad marriage.” MedStar’s motives for needing a separate fleet are hard to discern-while having a stop at the ER could ostensibly be convenient for people with minor injuries, this convenience is negligible and hardly necessitates paying for a separate fleet of buses. Having one fleet that runs more frequently to multiple locations is obviously preferable to two lines that run comparatively infrequently. However, if MedStar, not to be constrained by common sense, simply must have their own bus line, these differences still can be reconciled. Allowing equal access to both fleets for everyone affiliated with GU or GUMC has no foreseeable drawbacks. Currently, the MedStar buses stop at the same location as their GUTS counterparts in Rosslyn and Dupont-encroaching on the space designated by GU signs for GUTS use while not allowing GUTS patrons onboard. Coordinated bus schedules would mean decreased waiting times and increased route options for hospital affiliates—with GUTS offering six routes to MedStar’s two.
The University and MedStar need to open the channels of communication about this issue before more money is wasted.
