A campaign to name the bus resulted in 120 unique submissions from MSU students. A committee narrowed the list down to a final four, and now it’s up to a public vote to name the new campus bus.
The finalists are as follows:
- SpartanXpress
- Spartanomous
- Spartabus
- Campus Cruiser
Anyone can vote, starting Thursday, May 23, through the MSU Mobility website, here. Each individual is allowed one vote per day through Friday, May 31.
MSU sought to give its new, 22-seat bus a catchy name in an effort to raise awareness before the bus arrives on campus this summer. Stretching 28 feet long, the electric bus is expected to begin transporting passengers along a set route this fall following a testing period.
The winning name will be announced in June. Whoever first submitted that name will receive free Spin scooter rides on MSU’s campus for one year, according to MSU Mobility.
MSU’s new bus comes with advanced technology onboard including six light detection and ranging sensors, six radars, eight RGB cameras, and a cellular vehicle-to-everything unit.
The bus will be the first of its kind in the U.S. to comply with both the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and operate on a public road, according to a spokesperson for ADASTEC, an East Lansing-based company whose tech is used on the bus.
MSU previously tested out an autonomous bus from spring 2022 until spring 2023. It traveled a 2.5-mile route from the Farm Lane commuter lot to the MSU Auditorium.
While the bus could be driverless, a human driver remained on board and could take control as needed, including during adverse weather conditions and around construction work zones, according to MSU.
The route for the new bus has not yet been announced.
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