The shuttle service to Davis Square - provided by Joseph's Limousine Company - now uses a newer, smaller bus, painted blue and with the University name.
The changes were requested by the University. "[We wanted to] dress up the bus so it was more associated with Tufts," Tufts University Police Department Captain Mark Keith said.
Three Joseph's buses operate on the route, which has stops at the campus center, Carmichael Hall and the F.W. Olin Center. The new bus has seats upholstered from the Budget car rental company. It was specifically chosen for the route.
The smaller bus is more appropriate for the narrow streets and heavy traffic in Davis Square, Keith said.
A Joseph's Limousine Company representative said a second, older bus will serve as a backup for the new one once it passes inspections. A third bus, with a capacity of 25 people, runs during peak hours, so a bus is available every 15 minutes.
The shuttle stops on Holland St. across from the Somerville Theater. The University does not pay the square's businesses for the bus stop. "Where the Joey stop is, is a loading zone for Davis businesses and it is a courtesy that they allow us to use it," Keith said.
The Davis Square shuttle service was started by undergraduate students about 20 years ago. They drove students in minivans for a small price.
