Trevecca Nazarene University President, Dan Boone, Call for Transit Solutions

Fix transit for college students

I’m the president of a growing university in the heart of Nashville.

Trevecca Nazarene University boasts its largest total enrollment in our 116-year history and is negatively impacted by transit issues.  

My concern is for our students.

The university’s commuter population has continued to grow along with our enrollment numbers. That means more and more of our students are driving to campus every day, navigating crowded streets and interstates to get to class, with somewhat limited mass transit options.  

As real estate costs have risen, we’ve found that more of our students and faculty live further away. They spend large portions of their days driving — wasting time and energy that could be spent in ways that better their own lives, the university and our community.

I know my 20-mile commute to Trevecca has become very difficult during peak hours.

Trevecca has actively worked to find ways to ease some of these issues for our campus and surrounding community. We’ve added parking spaces to campus and provide MTA access for all students and employees.

We worked with local real estate and management companies to provide affordable housing close to campus and downtown.

I was a student at Trevecca in the 1970s. Traffic wasn’t much of an issue, but our city did little to prepare for the future. We have a chance now to take steps that make a difference now and for generations to come. Let’s make sure transit is on the ballot in May!

Dan Boone, president, Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville 37210

This post first appeared as a letter to the editor of the Tennesseean on September 29, 2017.