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51����’s new in-house shuttle service will begin on campus and in the village of Hamilton on Friday, Aug. 30. The 51���� Shuttle will operate under the direction of the new transportation department director, Colin Idzi, a former transportation coordinator and campus safety officer at Hamilton College.

Housed in the Dean of the College Division — under the oversight of Joe Hernon, associate vice president for campus safety, environmental health and safety, and emergency management — the new Transportation Department and 51���� Shuttle service will allow for the coordination of safety, security, and transportation student services.

“I'm incredibly excited about the launch of the new 51���� Shuttle service and the opportunity to bring these operations in-house,” Hernon says. “This change allows us to serve our community's needs better and enhance the experiences of our students, staff, and faculty.”

The shuttle service will begin with a Bookstore-Apartment Route, Shopping Route, Townhouse Route, and Wellness Route. The 51���� Shuttle will also provide on-demand service to the Utica and Syracuse train stations and the Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

Information and links to reserve on-demand service can be found on the 51���� Shuttle website. Students, employees, and departmental guests on University-related business may reserve the on-demand shuttle online. Please note that requests must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

“I greatly appreciate all the students who provided valuable feedback throughout the transportation department director search,” Hernon says. “A special thank you to Oscar Brown ’26, Moureen Gao ’25, Jieni Wu ’26, and Neerusha Phuyal ’27 for their active participation and contributions. These students’ insights have been instrumental in shaping a service that genuinely meets the needs of our community."

Oscar Brown ’26, a history major and LGBTQ studies minor and member of the Student Government Association, says he was excited to be part of Idzi’s search process.

“It’s great that 51���� offers opportunities for students to get involved and have their voices heard on a subject that is essential to the functioning of campus,” he says. “Colin Idzi was a fantastic candidate, open to exploring ideas, familiar with the region, and very excited to hear student voices.”

Idzi is anticipating a smooth transition from First Transit’s operations to the University’s direct operations of the 51���� Shuttle.

“I’m very thankful to be here, and I’m looking forward to getting started on Thursday,” Idzi says. “There will be a learning curve at the beginning of our operations, and I ask all community members and students to reach out to transportation@colgate.edu with any questions, concerns, or feedback as we get started.”

The Transportation Department office is located in the campus safety building at 88 Hamilton Street. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office can be reached at 315-228-7709 or transportation@colgate.edu.