The Student Association’s open forum Wednesday night regarding the Huskie Bus Line drew 10 attendees.

The forum addressed issues such as overcrowding on busses, the possible return of the Huskie “express bus” that takes students living in a residence hall directly to DuSable Hall and general bus safety.

The forum panel consisted of SA President DuJuan Smith; Andre Ramsey, director of mass transit; Shareace Leafblad, SA director of public affairs; SA Treasurer Aaron Langguth; Al Davis, Huskie Bus Line operations director and John Roach, Huskie Bus Line safety coordinator.

A recurring theme in the forum was how students often wait until the last minute to take a Huskie Bus to get to classes. This creates overcrowding and bus-route back-up, bus driver Erik Hannig said. Davis suggested students plan on taking earlier busses to get to class to help reduce the problem.

The drivers at the forum unanimously agreed on the issue of bus overcrowding. They said every weekday they are forced to refuse bus service to some students due to bus regulations because the bus has reached its full capacity. This happens around 9 and 10 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and around 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Hannig said.

A bus filled with passengers with backpacks or other gear can hold only 45 to 60 students, Hannig said.

“A bus’s capacity depends on how many people can fit [in that particular instance],” Hannig said.

At the forum, the company proposed ideas to improve student understanding of bus routes. Davis suggested putting maps of routes in the Holmes Student Center windows and improving the quality of the bus route pamphlet, along with ensuring new students receive one at the beginning of their stay at NIU.

Mark Dreyer, a Huskie Bus driver and music education graduate student, expressed his concern for student safety.

“I see many students walk in front of my bus when they arrive at their stop. The main problem is that far too often drivers whip around the bus when I stop and almost hit students as they walk in front of the bus. This has happened to me already two times this week,” Dreyer said.

Dreyer suggested NIU students learn some general bus-safety rules through a safety campaign.

Hannig also expressed several concerns regarding students as they travel around campus.

“Sometimes, students will stand in front of my bus while I’m stopped and demand to get on,” Hannig said. He recalled one instance where only the threat of calling the police would convince one angry student from removing himself from in front of one of his fellow bus driver’s bus.

Hannig also said he worries for the safety of students at the intersection of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue whenever there is a green left-turn signal.

The issue of rising gas prices also was addressed at the forum.

[The Huskie Line] hopes to make the line more effective and trimmed-down to combat the gas price issue without hurting service, Davis said.

Both Davis and Roach applauded drivers for their abilities. Roach reminded drivers and students at the forum that their busses have driver-cams that activate automatically or manually to help protect drivers and students in case of an accident or an altercation within the bus.

Drivers involved in minor accidents must undergo a mandatory training procedure, Roach said. Drivers also receive 55 hours of training for the job when hired, he said.