Free CyRide bus rides for ISU students as well as the addition of services to existing routes are expected to continue to increase in popularity with students.

CyRide driver Brad McDonald said he has noticed an increase in riders from last year.

“I just finished the orange route and there were 107 people on this trip, which is pretty packed,” said McDonald, who graduated from Iowa State in 2001.

McDonald said he expects ridership to increase in the coming weeks once the routes become more familiar.

“Extra buses will be added if ridership continues to increase,” said Robert Bourne, director of transportation for CyRide.

Bourne said more people are riding, but no exact numbers will be available until next week.

“All fares are busier than last year,” he said. “That’s what happens with improvements.”

Part of the improvements CyRide has made this fall include the expansion of services to include a cardinal route, which runs from Frederiksen Court to Towers.

Bourne said added stops were made with the hope of “increasing circulation on campus.”

The brown route now circles the entire city, and the red route will add more trips beginning Wednesday.

This is also the first year CyRide has been free to ISU students who show their ISUCard.

“[GSB] has kicked around the idea of free fares for 10 years,” Bourne said.

Bourne said Ames Transit Board President and ISU student Jennifer Larson “spearheaded the whole thing.”

Larson, senior in political science, said she coordinated the effort between the transit board and CyRide. She also looked into funding from the Government of the Student Body with the help of Vice President for Business and Finance Warren Madden.

Bourne said ISU students, the university and the city provide equal funding for CyRide. The money also comes from city taxes, ISU administration, GSB fees and parking violations.

Students also pay a $13.50 fee each semester.