Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Campus

In the Associated Student Government poll on shuttles, students said having a Saturday bus will help them finally break the "Evanston bubble."

"We are right next to one of the greatest cities ever, but students are stuck in Evanston," one student wrote, according to survey responses released at Wednesday's meeting.

Being "stuck" in Evanston has led to disturbances in the community, including excessive noise and alcohol-related hospital visits, a Northwestern task force found in the fall.

More than 98 percent of respondents said they would use a Saturday downtown shuttle if it were offered. The poll posted on NU Link in late January gauged student support for the proposed shuttle. In addition to overwhelming support, the poll results show a record high of participating students. With typical poll results hovering at about 1,000 responses, the shuttle poll garnered more than twice the norm with 2,481 responses.

When asked if they would go into Chicago more often if such a shuttle existed, 98 percent of students again answered affirmatively.

"An intercampus shuttle on (Saturday) would help not only me but also the rest of the Northwestern student community, allowing them to explore their environment and create ties to a world outside their dorm room," one poll responder wrote.

But funding the shuttle remains an unsolved problem.

The Associated Student Government external relations committee has researched the possibility of creating alternative transportation by meeting with university services, said Communication senior Kate Pascale, chairwoman of the committee.

"If we can get over the biggest hurdle of funding, the Saturday shuttle is feasible," said Marguerita Grzeszczuk, university services manager.

After meeting with Grzeszczuk, the external relations committee found that the cost per quarter to operate a Saturday shuttle for eight hours - from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a two-hour gap - would cost $6,554.80.

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