Fall and spring service dates for some Huskie bus routes will begin one week before school to accommodate students who arrive on campus early and have no other means of transportation.

The Student Association Mass Transit Board made the decision at a meeting Monday.

On weekdays, routes 7 and combined routes 5 and 8 will operate from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. All regular weekend routes will run Saturday and Sunday.

For the fall semester, buses will begin operation August 22. The buses will begin running January 9 for the spring semester.

A request for earlier service was brought to the board from Kumar Machado, a representative of the International Relations club.

The representative said 80 percent of the international students on campus depend entirely on the Huskie bus line for transportation.

Board Chairman Phil Kessler said the earlier service would benefit all students who arrive in Dekalb before classes begin.

Graduate Assistant Mary Hermsen said law classes begin the week before other classes begin.

There was some debate among board members about the added service. Board member Matt Kouzes, an SA senator, said with cornfest, there will be “tons of traffic” in DeKalb for the fall semester.

Hermsen said, “You’re treading some serious water here.” She said running the buses on Wednesday would be difficult since all of the residence hall residents move in on Wednesday and there would be a lot of traffic congestion.

Kessler said, “It is busy in town, but there are only two buses.”

Kessler said the board has the money now because of a fuel rebate.

Kessler said that each year the board is charged a fee for the price per gallon of gas. If the gas prices are lower than the set price, then the board gets a rebate, he said. If prices are higher, then the board pays the difference to Huskie Line.

“We have extra money now, but we can’t count on that,” he said.