Cheryl Thomas travels frequently between her office in Smith Warehouse on Buchanan Boulevard and Perkins Library on West Campus. A project manager with Duke Libraries' Collection Development Department, she often walks the two-mile stretch, but she drives during inclement weather or when she's hauling a big load of books.
"The other day, I had a tote-bag filled with books recently donated to Duke, and the bag weighed about 25 pounds, which was too heavy to carry across campus and too light to bother shipping," she said. "So, I had to drive, which took about 10 minutes and meant more wear and tear on my car and another vehicle parking in the Bryan Center lot."
Starting Monday, Thomas and several hundred other Duke employees with offices in Smith Warehouse, as well as other Duke community members, will have a more efficient, economical and eco-friendly way to travel to and from Smith Warehouse.
A Duke Transit minibus, which is part of the existing C6 Route, will stop at Smith Warehouse every 30 minutes, from 7:35 a.m. to 6:26 p.m., Monday through Friday. The minibus will pick up passengers on the north side of Smith Warehouse near the loading dock. Transportation is free for Duke staff, faculty and students.
The 12-passenger minibus will travel on a continuous loop between Smith Warehouse, East Campus, the Erwin Mill Building and West Campus. The ride from Smith Warehouse to West Campus will take about 15 minutes.
"Since the number of departments located in Smith Warehouse is increasing, we want to provide transportation options for the employees who work there and other Duke staff, faculty and students who need to visit those departments," said Chuck Catotti, director of Event Management who oversees Parking & Transportation Services.
Smith Warehouse is the home of various Duke departments, ranging from Facilities Management and the Bursar's Office to the University Registrar and an arts multimedia lab room.
For Thomas, the library project manager, the expanded C6 route is a blessing.
"When the weather is nice, I definitely enjoy walking to and from campus for the health benefits and the beautiful scenery, but having a minibus stop at Smith Warehouse is great news for everyone who works here and the many people who have to come to this building," she said.
For more information and bus schedules, including the expanded C6 route, visit www.parking.duke.edu. .