Rachel Scaman

The Student Association’s plan for the Huskie Bus Line is well overdue and I am excited to see what comes.

Students are the main priority at NIU and they should be involved in the bus system. Having students be involved in deciding the routes is the main reason I am on board with the idea; however, I think having the students participate in “vinyl signage and bus wrapping” is a little over the top.

One of the SA’s goals has been to make the campus more beautiful. An example of this is when the bus turnaround was moved to a strip east of the Holmes Student Center on Normal Road. Brett Williams, Student Association Mass Transit director, said one of the reasons for the move was to beautify the campus, according to a Sept. 22 Northern Star article. But, the SA should complete its goal of having bus routes determined by student input before focusing on appearance.

Mohammed Taha Faridi

Changing the Huskie Bus Line will be the right decision for NIU because there will be more customized routes available for students.

I’ve always felt student input is necessary when preparing bus routes. With student suggestions, a rough draft of frequently used routes can be made.

When drafting the Huskie Bus Line routes, the Student Association should also work with NIU staff. Suggestions from a diverse array of sources would provide good perspectives of how the routes should look.

I think there should be more buses that go to and from Barsema Hall and the Engineering Building. I’m sure others have different opinions and I hope the SA takes them all into consideration.

I’m a bit excited and optimistic about how the Huskie Bus Line will turn out for students. I’m glad the SA is going to take a step in involving students in the process.

Tegan Rogers

The plan to make the Huskie Bus Line more of a student-specific service is wonderful because NIU needs a transit system that is structured to serve student needs.

We need practicality in our campus transit system, and that means answers to practical questions: Will the bus schedules be adjusted to fit class schedules? Will the Huskie Bus Line provide more frequent access to the Elburn station to minimize the burden on out-of-town commuters?

While student input on the outer design of the buses is a nice perk, it seems inconsequential to the success or failure of the Huskie Bus Line. Aiming for practicality is a sound strategy, but focusing on having students paint the buses could potentially distract from the overall goal.

I am interested in public transportation that will get me to my destination as quickly and efficiently as possible, not what color the SA decides to paint the buses.

Angelina McNeela

Over the last few semesters, the Huskie Bus Line has seen an overhaul as attempts to improve by trial and error have pleased some and become more of an inconvenience to others.

Improvements cannot be made without constructive feedback. So, instead of complaining about what we don’t like about the bus system, students can finally communicate their wants and needs as active members of this community.

With an enthusiastic student advocate like Brett Williams, Student Association Mass Transit director, I have faith student voices will be heard.

The idea to liven up the advertisements across the buses is very exciting. It offers opportunities for a range of majors and campus clubs to collaborate on designing art or sending powerful messages instead of showcasing meaningless advertising.

Now, if only we could take that same sentiment into classrooms.