Students will have more transportation options to get to the train station.

Starting Friday, the DeKalb Elburn Shuttle Service will provide rides to the Elburn Metra Train Station on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The shuttle service, which can transport students from the Holmes Student Center to the train station and back, will cost $15 or $30 for a round trip.

Previously, this route was only available through the Huskie Bus Line on Fridays and Sundays. Now, the service will make three trips on Fridays, four on Saturdays and three trips on Sundays.

Michelle Luster, owner of the DeKalb and Elburn Shuttle Service, said the only other way to get to the train station on Saturdays is by taxi, which has limited availability and costs about $25 to $35 one way.

“Students were telling me that it was difficult to get to the line because of the limited service,” Luster said.

The shuttle service will be in a Chrysler Town and Country van instead of the traditional red Huskie buses.

Luster is an NIU alum, and when she was a student, Greyhound buses provided the service that her service is now offering. However, Greyhound buses no longer come to DeKalb.

“My heart and desire is to provide excellent service to NIU students,” Luster said.

Luster retired from her job in Chicago two years ago. Last September, she came out of retirement to work part-time in DeKalb.

Some students around campus think it’s good the school provides more transportation for those wanting to leave DeKalb for the weekend.

“It’s good if people want to go just for a day and not for the whole weekend,” said Jessica Ziaja, freshman undecided major. “I would consider using it to go to the city. It’s cheaper than gas.”

However, other students said that they would probably never use the service since they stay home on the weekends. Graduate English major Keon Luster said he doesn’t enjoy long bus rides, so he wouldn’t really consider taking the shuttle bus.

“I’m here almost every weekend, but it’d be great for all the kids who want to go home on the weekend,” Keon said.

Melody Anderson, junior child and human studies major, said she has only gone home once since the semester started, but she would consider using the shuttle bus.

“It’s a pretty good deal,” Anderson said. “If I were to need that, then I would definitely use it.”

Students can purchase tickets for the Dekalb Elburn shuttle service on www.dekalb-shuttle.com.