The University of Vermont asked Megabus, a low-cost bus line popular among students, to abandon its on campus stop after a recent arrest was made there.

Megabus announced the change on its website Nov. 1, which went into effect Nov. 4.  

Junior Sarah Richardson used the Megabus often for its former convenience. 

“I honestly was really annoyed when I found out the bus stop moved to an off campus location,” she said. “My main reason for taking the Megabus was that it was wicked convenient.” 

This decision followed an Oct. 29 arrest made by police at the on campus stop. Passenger Elliot McIver was taken into custody after being found with 30 grams of crack cocaine, according to court records. He had been travelling between New York City and Burlington. 

McIver is expected to be charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, according to papers on file at U.S. District Court in Burlington.

This arrest marked the fifth time in eight months that drug-trafficking suspects traveled from New York, Boston or Hartford, Conn., via Megabus and were arrested shortly after they disembarked at the University of Vermont’s Davis Center, according to an article by the Burlington Free Press. 

Last year the university faced similar issues with the on-campus Megabus stop when three N.Y. residents travelling from New York City to Burlington were arrested for drug-related crimes. 

Shirley Colon, age 21, was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana and Desean Nisbett, also 21, was charged with possession of Oxycodone.

A 17 year-old female was charged with cocaine and heroin trafficking. 

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The total drugs confiscated from these arrests included 1,400 bags of heroin powder, 1,000 Oxycodone pills and 4.2 ounces of crack cocaine, worth a combined street value of $70,000, a Police Services media release stated.

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At this point Police Services suggested moving the location, Vice President of University Relations and Administration Thomas Gustafson said. 

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The University first moved the bus stop from the Davis Center to outside Harris/Millis Residential Complex. However, the Megabus is now running out of the parking lot at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington, he said. 

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The University does not receive money nor do they have a contract with Megabus. The University could no longer continue looking for alternatives, Gustafson said.

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“It was not an easy decision. Our Police Services says that’s a bad location, it’s a dangerous location,” he said. “And we really just reached a point, reluctantly, where we had to choose safety over convenience.”

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Sophomore Jocelyn Nicotero said she could see the both sides. 

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“Obviously the University doesn’t want to put the students in danger by exposing them to the criminal activity that goes one,” Nicotero said. “But, it’s also a major inconvenience because students have to get from the University to the DoubleTree instead of the steps of the Davis Center.”

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Gustafson defends that taking the Megabus is now like any other form of transportation from Burlington, similar to going to the airport or the train station transportation must be arranged.   

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