The chairman of the Student Association Mass Transit Board said Monday that the implementation of a Huskie Bus shuttle to the Geneva train station is high on the board’s spring priority list.

Although the board has made no decision regarding a start-up date for the service, chairman Dave Emerick said discussion has begun on the possibility of providing a shuttle service that would make train access to Chicago more feasible for NIU students.

“We’ll try to make the system compete with the prices offered by Greyhound,” Emerick said. “Several students have expressed that they would like to see this service.”

He said one-way travel to Chicago would cost about $3 for the bus fare from NIU to Geneva, and about $4.25 for a train ticket from Geneva to Chicago, totaling about $7.25.

“We’ll address this issue further in the spring, when we can research the idea and conduct a survey to see if such a service would be utilized. I won’t be able to accept a shuttle service if students on campus don’t want it,” Emerick said.

Emerick outlined some of the board’s goals for the spring semester, which include implementing new handicapped service hours for the new vehicle purchased by the board, bus system promotion, additive services (including the Late-night ride service) and implementing the Geneva shuttle.

Emerick said if Huskie Bus service to Sycamore proves successful, the board might add new routes in Sycamore late next year.