Daily commutes should be smoother for students this semester because the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation has implemented several changes to the Tiger Trails bus system.Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, said the office met with the Student Government administration last semester to determine the most efficient routes.Graham said he wanted to add a bus to the Tigerland bus route, which was deemed the most popular route.The Perkins/Stanford route and the Garden District route were combined, which freed up a bus to run the Tigerland B route.Graham said the combination of two routes adds about a minute to the overall trip, but students don’t seem to mind.”You have to wait a little longer, but I always had to wait so it’s really not a problem,” said Justin Cook, economics graduate student. “Not many people rode either of those, so it makes sense to combine them.”Graham said the office received several hundred petitions requesting that a bus run near the Cottages of Baton Rouge on Ben Hur Road.The Highland-Ben Hur route allows a bus to run near Highland Road and Burbank as well as Ben Hur Road and Lee Drive.”The bus routes need to change because the places that are popular among students change,” Graham said. Sharlene Henry, a driver on the Highland-Ben Hur route, said she hasn’t seen many riders but expects an increase when school starts.”I think it’ll be more popular than the Tigerland bus because there’s a lot of apartments and people living over there,” she said. Graham said Night Route B was also modified to better serve the west campus and Residential College area.Graham said the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation is creating online features to better serve students. He hopes students will be able to track buses online in the coming months. The office is also setting up Facebook and Twitter pages that will list full parking lots and any significant traffic problems on campus. The Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation has also been designing the second phase of the Easy Streets campaign. Graham said the second phase will continue to enhance pedestrian safety.Graham said the section of Tower Drive between South Campus Drive and South Stadium Drive will be closed all the time, not just during school hours. Parking along Dalrymple Drive East off Highland Road will be removed.”By the end of the semester, we’ll know the budget situation,” Graham said. “At that point, we’ll know when we can begin.”There will also be designated bike lanes, Graham said.Graham said these changes will decrease traffic, allowing students to get to their destinations faster.The Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation has also added several new bike racks near the Quad and residence halls. _____Contact Rachel Warren at [email protected]