Hamline Student Affairs announced the ACTC bus service will be discontinued starting May 22, leaving students and faculty to find their own transportation between the schools.

The ACTC bus currently runs between the five ACTC schools: Hamline, Macalester, Augsburg, St. Kate’s and St.Thomas. The bus circulates between the schools every 30-40 minutes and provides free rides.

In Hamline’s Student Affairs email announcement on March 12, it said 113 Hamline students cross-registered last semester. According to the ACTC website the bus cancellation will affect between 600 and 800 people.

Hamline seniors Tasha Golding and Jacklyn Clement are taking classes at St.Kate’s because they needed another class for their majors. Golding is a sociology major taking Social Movements and Clement is chemistry major taking Advanced Analytical Chemistry.

“I’m taking Advanced Analytical Chemistry because I needed one more advanced chemistry class to graduate, and Hamline didn’t offer any this semester. I have no idea if I would have been able to take it without the ACTC bus,” said Clement.

Hamline’s announcement on canceling the ACTC bus service stated all of the ACTC schools are in areas with accessible public transportation, bike share programs and car share programs.Matt Doroff

Online at metrotransit.org, ACTC bus riders can plan trips to each ACTC school campuses. From Hamline, Macaslester is the only school with a direct single bus route. Commuting to any of the other three ACTC schools requires taking two to three buses.

Car share services are also an option. Near the ACTC bus stop on Englewood and Snelling, there is an HOURCAR. According to the HOURCAR rates, an Undergraduate Student Plan charges an annual $35 membership fee and an additional $6 per hour and 25 cents per mile.

Other transportation options may be less convenient and more expensive for riders.