El Metro Extends Hours, Services to TAMIU

This Fall, Texas A&M International University students can enjoy extended bus service from El Metro to the northeast Laredo campus.

Monday through Thursday, buses leave the downtown transit center on the hour, every hour, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m. Buses leave the TAMIU campus every hour on the half hour, beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 9:30 p.m. On Fridays, buses will leave the transit center every hour on the hour beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. The last bus leaves the TAMIU campus at 8:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Saturday and Sunday buses leave the downtown transit center every hour on the hour, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. Buses leave campus every hour on the half hour, beginning at 10:30 a.m. The last bus leaves campus at 6:30 p.m. The trip from downtown to TAMIU takes approximately one half-hour.

Joe García, TAMIU vice president for Finance and Administration, said the expanded hours and services are an answer to student requests.

"Our student population is growing. Enrollment this Spring was up 12.2 percent over last Spring. Our residential or on-campus population in University Village is also at capacity and many students have come to enjoy the convenience and services of El Metro to get to and from campus," Garcia explained.

Bus stops on campus are currently located at the front, or west side of the new Student Center and in front of on-campus housing, the University Village.

Along the route, the bus makes stops on Del Mar near the H.E. B. shopping center, and connects to buses to Mall del Norte.

For more information, please call El Metro at 795-2288. Schedules and route maps can be viewed online at http://www.ci.laredo.tx/Metro/routes.html.

Registration for the Fall Semester is Friday, Aug. 23. For additional information, contact the Office of the University Registrar at 326.2250, or visit offices in Killam Library 168. Office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday and from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu