Spokesman: Shuttle issues blindsided MU

The University of Missouri canceled classes Wednesday with only a few hours left before the start of the day because a private shuttle service provider was unable to operate in the extreme cold.

The university announced that “issues with a private contractor shuttle service” caused MU to cancel the classes. ABC 17 News learned that provider was Green Way shuttles, which runs routes to and from several student apartment complexes.

Due to mechanical issues with private contractor shuttle service, classes are CANCELED at Mizzou for Wednesday, Jan. 30. Regular operations continue.

— MU Alert (@MUalert) January 30, 2019

“Between 7:30 and 8 we were given notice and I was told around 7:40 or so,” Basi said. “It took us a few minutes just to make a quick decision.”

Basi said the university got the word out as quick as possible to the students. However, some people were still upset with the decision.

According to some comments on the university’s Twitter page, MU canceled classes only minutes before the first class was slated to begin at 8 a.m.

One person on Twitter said they had to pay for an Uber to get to a morning class, only to find out it was canceled once they arrived.

Another tweet said many students had already gotten to campus when MU canceled.

“I walked into class and as I was walking into the building one of my classmates that I recognized walked out of the building and he said ‘class is canceled,'” said Lafe Aren, an MU junior. “I said ‘Are you kidding me?’ and he said ‘No. Check your phone.’ And I looked at my phone and I had recieved a text at 7:58.”

Aren lives close to campus, so he walks to all of his classes. He said his professors warned him about staying warm during the cold weather to stay healthy.

“It’s dangerous being out there in that kind of cold,” Aren said.

He said he was frusterated that he had to walk to class in the cold, only for it to be canceled.

Basi said the university had no control over the reason for calling off classes. The university had been in contact with Green Way at the beginning of the week and was told there would be no issue with shuttles.

“We were told by all the companies that no, they were planning on … running, as long as we were going to be having classes,” Basi said. “So we were going based off of that information.”

ABC 17 News contacted Greenway Shuttles on Monday. Reporters referenced similar issues the Green Way shuttles had last year, and asked how the company was preparing for cold conditions this year. The company said last year’s issue was likely caused by using the wrong seasonal blend of fuel and that the company takes “as much precautions as possible” to keep running in the cold.

Green Way did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.