ISU students and Ames residents may be seeing fewer buses in the future.

The Ames Transit Board met Tuesday afternoon to discuss possible changes to the current transit system in relation to the city’s 20-year plan, which was last updated in 2000. Independent firm RDG Planning and Design of Des Moines, was hired to review and compile data about attitudes toward the public transit system in Ames.

Gary Lozano, consultant for HWS consulting, an affiliate of RDG, reported the findings to the transit board.

A random sample of Ames residents, including ISU students, was taken. The sample showed the people surveyed were least satisfied with the congestion caused by buses and the ignoring of bike lanes.

Lozano said 88 percent of the people surveyed rated transit availability as excellent or good, but only 42 percent thought increased funding was a good idea.

In the review provided by RDG, Lozano pointed out the transit system is very efficient at getting students transported and getting enough funding to do so.

He said the review showed recommendations that included amendments to existing routes for the new proposed mall, and recommending the Yellow Route be eliminated because of a steady decline of riders since 2000.

The Yellow Route services southeast Ames and South Duff Avenue.

Lozano said his review also recommended the elimination of the Purple Route west of campus and rerouting the Red Route to compensate.

Robert Bourne, director of transportation for CyRide, said he was concerned about the Yellow Route.

He said he felt the Yellow Route would need a significant amount of money poured into it to make it a viable route instead of a social service route.

Bourne said there are usually only four or five passengers on each run of the Yellow Route.

Lozano said the short-term recommendations were to add a new route serving the northwest and southwest sides of Ames, and adding Saturday service to the Brown Route.

“This is to be implemented route by route, not all at once,” Lozano said.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, said he was unclear where the economic resources were coming from for the route changes.

“All three financial entities [that finance CyRide] are financially strapped to maintain the current system,” said Ames City Manager Steve Schainker.

Madden made a motion to accept the recommendations the transit board reviewed and asked that further evaluation be taken before it would be implemented.