Putting work in early always pays back exponentially in the long run.
That is why Chapel Hill Transit or some other entity should work to issue a survey this spring semester in order to garner information on where students plan to live in the coming fall.
Chapel Hill Transit has said that it takes some time every fall semester to figure out where students have accumulated since the spring.
However, students moving off campus must sign leases well before March at the latest. Therefore, the information is readily there in due time to study and adjust bus routes in accordance.
Chapel Hill Transit has already done a number of studies utilizing census data and surveys on residents’ preferred types of travel. As this department’s plate may be full with surveys of larger scopes and varying topics, other groups — particularly those based on campus — should take up this responsibility.
There are a plethora of groups on campus that could conduct this survey. As it would benefit a large amount of students, no one should shy away it.
The Department of Housing and Residential Education could simply include it in an exit survey.
The Office of the Dean of Students could conduct it online, through its website devoted to students living off campus.
Andrew Powell could conduct this survey as one of his inaugural special projects.
There have even been academic projects built around studying the statistics behind Chapel Hill’s bus system. Future similar projects could be broadened to include a survey of students moving of campus.
