Students attending 1991 summer session classes will be able to take advantage of a service which has not been available since 1983.

Last year, the NIU Student Association Mass Transit Board held a referendum asking students if they would be interested in summer bus service. The results were positive and the mass transit board began plans to implement summer service.

Starting this summer, the Huskie Buses will be running two buses on four routes. The number one bus will cover the regular weekend Routes 3 and 4 while the number two bus will cover the regular Routes 2 and 7. Both buses will take 30 minutes to cover each route.

Mass transit board member Pat Sanchez said because summer enrollment is significantly lower than the regular school year, the buses will not provide the usual service. Buses will not run out to Sycamore because of the reduction in service.

Engineering students wishing to go to Sycamore for classes will have to find alternate means of transportation.

Sanchez said this summer will be a test to see if the summer bus service will be allowed to continue.

“Our goal is to have it (summer bus service) go every summer,” he said. “We should be able to offer summer service to all students.”

During previous summers, the only bus service offered at NIU was the Handi-Van for disabled students.

NIU students will be charged 45 cents per credit hour to cover the cost of the Huskie Bus summer service. Bus service also will be available to non-students for a $5 fee for the entire summer or 50 cents per ride.

The buses will run Monday through Thursday from 7:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. while the Handi-Van will run on the same days, but only from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information contact the SAMTB at 753-9922, Huskie Line at 758-6900 or NIU Transportation at 753-1558.