Huskie Pups, small electric shuttles introduced last October as a part of NIU President Doug Baker’s plan for a 10-minute campus, will not be returning for general student use this year.

One large Huskie Pup and three smaller ones, which cost $40,000 and $18,500, respectively, operated for two months in fall 2014. The Pups stopped running because of issues operating during cold weather, but returned April 13 with expanded routes and two additional vehicles lent to the university by the Alumni Association.

“The university decided based on ridership, we are no longer able [to use them],” said John Cheney, senior associate athletics director for facilities and event operations. “And since they’re not able to be used during inclement weather, it really wasn’t a viable option. And now that the Lucinda [Avenue] extension is going through, it is more economical to use buses.”

The Lucinda Avenue extension will create a more direct route to Stevenson Hall and the Convocation Center by extending Lucinda through where Douglas Hall once stood.

Although the Pups won’t be available for general student use this year, they are being used by Athletics and Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said NIU spokesman Brad Hoey. The original four Huskie Pups are split between these two groups, each group possessing two.

“Throughout the summer, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management used them primarily for orientation sessions,” Hoey said. “They have also been using them for open houses.”

The Pups have been used to transport patrons between parking lots and to Huskie Stadium during football games. NIU officials had originally thought of using the Pups for special events “if the Pups did not work out as being complimentary pieces to the [HuskieLine buses],” Hoey said.

The Pups will be stored under the east side of Huskie Stadium when inclement weather arrives, Cheney said.