The recent Daily editorial (July 16, 1996) titled “Orange Route Change” is not completely accurate.

As a four-year member of TAC (Traffic Advisory Committee), I have been involved in discussions concerning the Orange Route.

Last spring the subcommittee I was working with presented a motion to TAC dealing with Orange Route boarding fees.

The boarding fee was only to be collected at the Center parking lot, and only those not entitled to park on campus were to be charged.

Legitimate commuter students and staff, who gave up their right to park on campus, would still ride the bus free, as would Vet Med and on campus riders. The motion was tabled until fall.

The 25-cent boarding fee was not proposed by Cy-Ride; it was offered by the subcommittee.

Therefore, the editorial’s beginning statement — “Cy-Ride considers charging campus commuters a quarter to make up for decrease in riders”- is not accurate. TAC is considering the fee, not Cy-Ride.

Since the university and Parking Systems are paying 100 percent of the Orange Route cost, any fee collected would revert back to the university to be used to offset the approximate $150,000 per year Orange Route cost.

Other than providing ISU with the Orange Route bus service and billing ISU for the service, Cy-Ride is not making any decision concerning Orange Route boarding fees, stops, or riders; nor is Cy-Ride making decisions that “punish people” or “prevent people from driving on campus.”

Any decisions affecting the Orange Route or campus parking are made by the university administration.

The Traffic Advisory Committee may or may not be involved.

Al Vogl

TAC Member