I’ve always been disappointed at the lack of a comprehensive map for UMD’s Shuttle Routes. The best thing we have is the NextBus app, but that app is only geared toward users who are on campus, actively searching for a bus, but that only gives info on routes running at a particular moment. It is of limited use for someone planning routes during the summer that they will plan their schedule around in the fall, or for prospective students wanting a look at the available University transit.
This project creates a map of all UM-Shuttle routes that pass through the core of campus (sans the long distance commuter shuttles to Colombia, Gaithersburg, Baltimore, and 7 Springs). I chose to show the routes as they were pre-Covid, as that’s the best reference I have for what routes may look like post-Covid.
Simplified geography, thick lines, clear stations, and simplified interchanges help users easily track where bus routes go and how they interact with other routes. In order to avoid unnecessary clutter, stops are not named, rather various locations around campus are drawn to give users a sense of which buildings and landmarks each stop serves.
While this map in its current form is of limited use due to small scale, I may expand upon it in the future to encompass the whole of campus.
Side note: It is worth noting that many of the decisions made in this map are for maneuvers that happen beyond the scope of this map. For example, the awkward crossover of the orange and yellow routes at the Union/Campus intersection allows the yellow and 128 Enclave routes to peel off later in their route at an intersection off the page.
For Info on how I made this map, including WIP images, click here!
Jacob Glazer Portfolio 