David Heineking has been appointed as the new Director of Parking and Transportation, set to replace Patrick Kass effective Feb. 9. Kass, who has been director since 2000, is leaving the UA for the University of Wisconsin.
“”They recruited me and I accepted a position that will be a good opportunity for me and my family,”” Kass said.
He said that his leaving had nothing to do with the budget cuts the UA is facing, simply stating that it was a good opportunity.
Heineking has been the associate director of parking and transportation for three years and assumes the director position with some big plans.
“”I want to continue the vision Patrick has begun here,”” Heineking said. “”His main goal has been providing alternative transportation for students to get to campus effectively and affordably.””
One of his plans is to expand Sun Tran. Use of the Sun Tran has been increasing steadily, especially in the last year, he said.
Heineking believes the reason so many people chose Sun Tran at the beginning of the year was due to high gas prices. Since the number of riders hasn’t decreased as gas prices dropped, he said students have begun to realize convenience of the Sun Tran.
Bike sharing and car sharing are two more programs Heineking said he is excited to begin implementing. They will be rental programs in which students and faculty will be able to pay a small fee to rent a vehicle for a couple hours to go to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment.
Car sharing is set to begin in the fall of 2009.
Heineking said he hopes this program will be especially useful to students without a car who may have to take the bus to campus.
He also hopes to make students more aware of the Night Cat service, which is a free bus that comes around every half hour to such busy areas of campus as the dorms, the library and the Student Union Memorial Center to help students get around campus safely at night.
“”I want to provide as many options to get students to and around campus as possible and make many of them green,”” Heineking said.
