Parking and Transportation Services reveals $2M operating deficit

Loss could lead to elimination of Bronco Express Shuttle

Cal Poly Pomona’s Parking and Transportation Services has been operating at a multimillion-dollar deficit that could lead to further cuts to the services students rely on to get around campus, including the Bronco Express Shuttle. 

According to Mike Yu, director of Parking and Transportation Services, the department has spent between $2 million and $3 million more than it made during the last two fiscal years with services like the Bronco Express Shuttle costing $850,000 annually. 

While the department covered some of the losses using savings and increased parking fees, Yu said the continued deficit has forced administrators to reevaluate services now that their savings have run dry. “It was OK because we had money put away in our savings, but when that happens, we either cut expenses or propose a fee increase,” Yu said. 

Parking and Transportation Services proposed a parking pass fee increase to the Fee Advisory Committee, but it was shut down via vote, leaving the department to pursue other options to close the gap, Yu added. 

One of the most notable changes for students in the spring semester was the removal of the counterclockwise campus shuttle route being discontinued.

“We looked at the data and students were not riding the counterclockwise shuttle,” Yu said. “It takes longer because there’s no dedicated lanes on University Drive. The data and anecdotal feedback matched; students just didn’t like riding it.” 

Despite the low ridership, several students expressed frustration over the loss of the route. Business student Madison Kay said she has stopped using the shuttle altogether since the discontinuation and walks to her classes instead because it takes the same amount of time. 

“I don’t even use it anymore,” Kay said. “There’s no point in it for me.” 

Thy Hoang, a computer science student, shared similar concerns, saying the loss of the counterclockwise route has increased her wait times by 15 to 20 minutes from the University Village. 

“I have to wait for the shuttle more,” Hong said. “If the app was fixed, I wouldn’t mind waiting, but it hasn’t been fixed.” 

The shuttle tracking app was discontinued in fall 2025 due to the app’s vendor being non-responsive.

Looking ahead, Yu said no more decisions have been made, but more reductions like less shuttle stops or eliminating shuttle service altogether are under consideration if they can’t solve the funding issue soon. 

Yu has noticed growing popularity in electric scooters and skateboards, which he said can be a solution to the issues. 

The university is currently working on infrastructure and safety education related to these devices, as well as developing a mobility hub in partnership with Foothill Transit. 

For students like Kay and Hong, however, reliability and access remain as immediate concern . 

“I see the future as less reliance on the shuttle and more reliance on personal transportation,” Yu said. “With the campus providing infrastructure like bike racks and charging stations, none of it requires having a car.”