Six students showed up to voice concerns at the Mass Transit Forum held Wednesday at Stevenson North’s Multi-Purpose room.

Andrew Nelms, Student Association senator and co-chair of the Mass Transit Board, was disappointed at the low turnout.

“The lack of student participation in the forum, hopefully, is reflective of how well our mass transit system is running,” Nelms said. “But realistically, that may not be the case, so I hope students will come out if we reschedule.”

The students who showed up wandered in the empty conference room just minutes before the 9 p.m. deadline the board members set.

Efficiency and cleanliness were major concerns the students shared.

Sarah Cooper, RHA director of public relations, was one of the first students to stop in and suggested that express buses should be created for traveling between class buildings, not serving the residence hall areas of campus. Others asked about how the Circle Left and Circle Right buses could be more efficient.

Maurice Montgomery, director of transportation, explained that car traffic is often the culprit for slowing down the buses.

Montgomery also was going to look into how to keep the buses from appearing so dirty. He gave the students in attendance something to look forward to, as the board just approved the contract to get two new buses by the 2004-’05 school year.

These buses will be low-floored buses, with one-step entry and more standing room. Montgomery expects the bus shelters to be completed by fall.

Montgomery discussed holding another forum for interested students next week and plans on posting notices on the buses with the specifics.