by Christine Owen
Editor in Chief
All University of La Verne employees who operate carts must alter their routes to stay out of downtown La Verne, under the instruction of the La Verne Police Department.
The order came after several downtown La Verne business owners complained to the city about ULV employee carts that were parked in front of their businesses blocking pedestrian traffic.
John Lentz, director of campus safety and transportation, said that there were several complaints about carts being parked on the sidewalk in front of Lordsburg Café and Phoenix Garden.
ULV owns an office above the two businesses and Lentz said that when the office was undergoing cleaning and maintenance, ULV employees parked their carts on the sidewalk in front of the businesses.
After reviewing the current cart route, LVPD drafted a series of conditions that ULV employees would have to comply with if the University wanted to continue to operate carts off campus.
A statement issued to Lentz by La Verne Police Chief Ronald Ingels said, “The City has received complaints from merchants and pedestrians in the downtown area about the inappropriate and potentially dangerous use of the University’s electric carts and service vehicles. In an effort to maintain a safe environment in the area, I am requesting that you direct your personnel not to utilize such vehicles on public walkways or streets in the following areas: Bonita Avenue, from C Street east to E Street, Third Street from C Street east to E Street, D Street from Fifth Street to Second Street.”
“The rules that they came forward with were primarily intended for us to continue to operate our carts, but also to comply with some safety rules to improve the safety factor,” Lentz said.
One of the main changes in driving carts is that they are no longer allowed in the downtown business district on D Street. Operating carts on public streets or sidewalks in that area is prohibited.
Additionally, streets are to be used whenever it is possible and carts should not be parked in a way that would potentially block pedestrian travel. While operating carts, pedestrians must not be interfered with and caution must be a priority at all times.
Other changes in cart routes are that carts are no longer permitted on the sidewalk in front of the AAIC and Barkley Buildings and if it is necessary for a cart to cross Bonita Ave, they must cross at C Street.
Lentz said that there are more than 30 carts on campus utilized by various departments including Campus Safety, Purchasing, Athletics, Operations/ Maintenance, the mailroom, Aramark and Marriott.
