A bus shuttle to Geneva is in jeopardy because of the Student Association Mass Transit Board’s projected $49,000 deficit next year.

The Geneva shuttle operates on weekends from DeKalb to the Geneva Metra train station. Transit Board Chairman Dave Emerick said the Geneva shuttle project began about two years ago. The board will decide next week whether to keep the shuttle.

Emerick said he would let students decide through a survey if the project should continue.

Board member Dave Pack said he received 330 surveys from the 1,300 sent out in Feburary asking students if they support a shuttle bus from DeKalb to Geneva, which gives students access to Chicago.

About 40 percent of the students surveyed who live off-campus and about 48 percent of the respondents who live on-campus said they would use the shuttle.

Pack said the majority of the surveys indicated that students would not use the service. However, he said about 36 students stated that they “would not use the shuttle but it was a good idea.” One survey stated the shuttle was “a waste of money,” he said.

Emerick recommended that “the shuttle be taken off the roster but not forgotten.” He listed the results of the survey and the board’s deficit as reasons for opposing the shuttle.

The deficit stems from an error in budgeting from a university office last October, Emerick said.

Board member Michael Cassman said, “The shuttle should not be put aside.” He said in the long-run students will be able to use the shuttle to commute to classes from surrounding suburbs of Geneva.

However, board member Olin Anderson said only people living in the near vicinity of the station would use the shuttle to commute to NIU. He said most commuting students would drive their own car.

Board member Mark Brierton said the shuttle only is scheduled to operate Friday through Sunday, not during the week.

Pack said he will further decipher the surveys and report more detailed information at the next meeting. The board decided to wait until more information is available before they vote whether to disband the shuttle or continue to work on the project.

In other business, the board voted to increase the price of Huskie Bus passes to keep consistent with the 7 percent increase in the board’s budget each year.

Most bus passes increased $5 from $30 to $35 per semester. Senior citizens, those 65-years-old or more, and disabled people will pay $30 per semester for a bus pass.

Passes for DeKalb residents decreased $5 from $40 to $35.

Several changes in policy for the buses will occur next year, including elimination of NIU school identification checks for route 1 to have faster boarding, Emerick said.