An increase in ridership and a lack of CyRide bus drivers has resulted in long waits for riders of the CyRide commuter route.

Although enrollment at Iowa State is down, the number of CyRide patrons has increased by about 20 percent from last year, said Tom Davenport, administrative assistant at CyRide.

The commuter route picks up large numbers of students who drive to campus and leave their cars in Iowa State Center’s parking lot during the day. The route circulates throughout the campus area.

In September 2002, the commuter buses, also known as the Orange Route, carried about 9,000 riders per day, Davenport said.

The numbers taken from the first few weeks of September this year have shown the buses have been carrying anywhere from 10,500 to 11,000 riders per day, he said.

Students have been feeling the crunch from the extra riders, especially in early morning hours.

“At nine o’clock in the morning, I had to wait 20 to 25 minutes for a bus,” said Amanda Bowley, junior in management. “I saw four buses leave before I was able to get on one. It made me late to class, even though I had gotten [to the lot] early.”

Davenport said the commuter buses are scheduled to hit the lot every five minutes.

If four or five buses go by, he said it should be within that five minute time span.

“We haven’t heard of that being a problem,” he said.

Although students like Bowley are having trouble getting to classes on time, Margo Kitts, lecturer in philosophy and religions studies, said she hasn’t had much trouble with tardy students during problem CyRide hours, only the off-peak ones.

“I have students come in late to my 12:40 class, but I think that’s due to them taking a longer lunch,” she said.

To try to combat the rush hours, extra buses are assigned to the Orange Route in the early morning and late afternoon, Davenport said.

There are up to 11 buses on the commuter route alone during the busy morning hours, Davenport said. “It’s our busiest route, and that’s where we put the buses,” he said.

Davenport said up to six buses are in use for the late afternoon, CyRide’s second-busiest time of the day.

Not all the buses begin their route at the commuter lot, he said. Some routes start at Maple Hall or the library in an effort to pick up students who may not be able to board the Orange Route buses after a large number of passengers get on at the commuter lot, Davenport said.

However, Davenport said he thinks the number of buses CyRide has may not be the problem. “We don’t have enough drivers to put in all the buses,” Davenport said. “If you need a job, come on over.”