The 3 million bus rides provided by CyRide last year are slated to come at a higher price to students next year and with reductions in routes and times. CyRide officials said the reductions are necessary to keep the system operating because of large increases in fuel prices and decreasing revenue from student fees.

The five main sources of CyRide revenue are from student fees, ISU administration, the city of Ames, the federal government and from passenger fares.

“The $112,000 of cuts will balance the budget,” Bob Bourne said, director of transportation for CyRide.

He said CyRide is also finalizing plans to reduce its 146-person staff by about six to eight employees. Bourne said the cuts in service were selected from over $250,000 of reductions proposed to meet the budget shortfall.

“There are alternative services available,” Bourne said. “People can visit our Web site or call the dispatchers to find these services.”

Bourne said the cardinal route, which provides service to Frederiksen Court, was saved from cuts because of student input.

“We had discussions with the people who would be affected by the proposed cuts, and the Frederiksen Court people were the most vocal when it came to saving their bus service,” Bourne said. “There were some comments from people living on other routes, but they mostly came from people at the edges.”

Among the changes include the red route servicing riders from the canceled purple route, and the blue route servicing Jack Trice Stadium’s parking lots instead of the canceled silver route.

CyRide will also be investigating the possibility of a light rail going between downtown Ames and the ISU campus.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance and a member of CyRide’s Board of Trustees, said the return of the Dinkey could help build the “One Community” concept, which is designed to unite Iowa State and Ames.

A light rail would also eliminate bus service in areas where there are route overlaps.

“We’ve indicated a willingness to study whether this plan that Tony [Borich] proposed is the right one,” Madden said. “The main concern is where the funds would come from to build and maintain this system.”

Another possible change in routes may occur if the proposed new mall is built.

Workers, customers and ISU students may need bus service to the site, but Madden said there would be discussions about whether the new mall would be as central to the CyRide system as North Grand Mall, which is serviced by four out of the nine CyRide routes running in the fall.

Madden said the CyRide board had not had conversations about increasing the fares, which were last increased in March 2004. Children, senior citizens and the mentally handicapped pay 50 cents, while full fare is $1.