CSU East Bay’s Parking Services is currently working with CSUEB’s Associated Students Inc. and the city of Hayward to encourage students to patronize businesses in downtown Hayward.

“We met with the Hayward City Chamber of Commerce and the Hayward City Council, and they were really excited about bringing the students to downtown Hayward to help out the businesses,” said Lobo.

To help encourage travel to downtown Hayward, the university has now extended their Thursday through Sunday hours to reflect the business hours in that area.

“We’ve worked it out so that the last Thursday shuttle departs at 2:30 a.m., the Friday shuttle departs at 1:30 a.m. and the Sunday shuttle departs at 10 p.m.,” said Lobo. The late night shuttle rides back to the university on Thursday nights were so that when new release movies come out, like midnight showings, students would be able to take advantage of that.”

There is also a farmer’s market that the city of Hayward holds every weekend, so this new schedule will give students a chance to take advantage of that also, added Lobo.

These late night shuttle services, which now include three stops; Peet’s Coffee, Pizza House and Century Theatres, all located on B Street, may soon offer discounted items to students through the use of coupon books, Lobo said.

“We can start handing out these coupon books to students, especially in the fall quarter. It would be nice to have something like that available in all the dorm rooms,” said Lobo. “Students can know those services are available and build relationships with them.”

Another way in which University Parking Services is looking to reach out to more of the Bay Area community is by reopening the university’s complimentary shuttle service to Castro Valley BART Station, said Lobo.

“The purpose of the stop was to give students in the Livermore and San Ramon area a way to utilize the shuttle and for them to be able to have the choice of another shuttle to take once the Hayward shuttle became overcrowded,” said Lobo.

This Castro Valley shuttle was originally retracted due to a lack of funding that normally comes from campus parking citations and the sale of parking permits, said Lobo.

“There was a lot less parking enforcement in the past,” said Lobo. “Before, we were funding the shuttles, and contracting out for drivers. But the shuttles cost us more than our take in money and they started suffering from all the wear and tear from coming up and down the hill and started breaking down more often.”

It was costing the university so much money that the decision was made to contract out, explained Lobo, but this only caused costs to go up he adds.

The shuttles to Hayward BART cost the university about $350,000 per year, while the shuttle to Castro Valley BART will cost approximately $150,000 per year. This isn’t including the weekend and extended Thursday and Friday night shuttles that will cost the university about another $100,000 per year, said Lobo.

Although the costs of the shuttle are substantial, they are being paid for through parking citations, parking permits and a university grant, he added.

With the Castro Valley shuttle currently transporting 71 passengers daily in 40 minute intervals, Monday through Thursday, and the Hayward shuttle carrying 1,700 passengers daily in 20 minute intervals, Monday through Thursday, it’s looking like they’re actually taking advantage of it, expressed Lobo.

“I saw this weekend that students were using the system and a lot had grocery bags. Now they’re able to go to Lucky’s, as that is one of the stops.”

Students appreciate the added flexibility and extended hours this new shuttle system now offers.

“It’s really helpful for me to get to places and not to have to worry about coming back at a certain time,” said sophomore Karla Ramirez.