Support for CyRide Vehicle Locator Technology was approved by the Government of the Student Body Senate at its meeting Wednesday night.

Sheri Kyras, director of the Ames Transit Agency, spoke to GSB members about the NextBus technology CyRide is considering purchasing.

Funding for the technology will come from the GSB Trust Account of the Ames Transit Agency, which has accumulated more than $1 million in excess student fees. Kyras said any excess fees are put toward projects that will benefit students.

Kyras said the technology would cost $250,000 to $275,000 for the first year, and $75,000 for maintenance for at least two years after that.

“This would be a nice time to use those funds for a one-time fee,” Kyras said.

Thomas Noyce, representative of NextBus in Maryland, gave an explanation of how the technology works via teleconference.

Noyce said the technology allows students and other CyRide users to access information on when the next bus will arrive at a particular bus stop via text messages, smart phones or schedules on the NextBus website.

LED signs are another possible way bus users can quickly find out when the next bus will arrive at a particular stop.

Several senators voiced their support for having LED signs at various high-traffic bus stops.

“I think getting the signs out there is very important,” said Byoungwoo Choi, off-campus senator and junior in pre-business.

Kyras said on snowy days, buses can be delayed by as long as 15 minutes due to poor road conditions. The LED signs would prevent students from standing outside in the cold while waiting for a bus that they do not know is running behind schedule.

“It would be very, very beneficial at that point not to have to be standing out there for that long,” Kyras said.

CyRide has proposed placing signs at the Kildee/Bessey and Friley/Student Services bus stops, since those are stops that attract the most riders. Eventually more signs would be placed at other bus stops around campus and the Ames community.

“We felt putting them on campus and making them prominent first would be a good, important step,” said Anthony Maly, GSB finance director and senior in political science.

Noyce said the signs can also be placed in businesses around town or in campus residence halls.

“Students will be less likely to drink and drive and more likely to ride the bus since they know what time the bus is coming,” Noyce said.

With a vote of 28-0-0, GSB approved supporting the cost of the CyRide Vehicle Locator Technology, including the purchase of 24-inch signs for the Kildee/Bessey and Friley/Student Services bus stops.

Also on the agenda was a funding request for the VEISHEA comedian location.

Veishea Inc. asked for $4,790.25 to rent C.Y. Stephens to host comedian Donald Glover on the Friday night of VEISHEA week.

The funding request was approved by the GSB with a 28-0-0 vote.

The GSB also approved a $1530 funding request for the Lacrosse Club to purchase safety equipment.

The next regular meeting of the GSB will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Cardinal Room of the Memorial Union.