Correction appendedThe Senate decided to discontinue bus service to Long Island for the Thanksgiving break, while preserving service to Logan Airport and New York City at Sunday's Senate meeting.

In addition, Brandeis University Escort Service is holding trial periods of an extra van to Waltham that will help the service determine whether or not an additional BranVan is necessary for the student body.

The Student Union has finalized the schedules and costs for the Thanksgiving shuttles that transport students to South Station, Logan Airport and Pennsylvania Station in New York City before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a Senate Money Resolution passed by the Student Union on Oct. 31.

Article 6, Section 1 of the Union Bylaws, which formerly stated that the Student Union is responsible for funding transportation for students before both the Thanksgiving break and the Spring/Passover Recess, was amended at the Oct. 24 Senate meeting (see correction below). During the Oct. 24 meeting, service to Long Island was canceled because students would still be able to travel to Long Island by train after arriving at Pennsylvania Station, according to the senate log in the Oct. 26 issue of the Justice.

During the Oct. 31 meeting, Senator for the Class of 2011 Abraham Berin presented a Senate Money Resolution that detailed the routes, times and costs of the Thanksgiving shuttles.

According the SMR, six shuttles will leave from the Rabb steps on Nov. 23 and 24, the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Each bus to South Station and Logan Airport will cost the Student Union about $350 and each bus to Penn Station in New York City will cost the Student Union $1,200, making the gross cost of the buses $5,000. The Student Union has $3,300 in funds outside of its budget to fund the buses, so the total net cost of the buses is $1,700.

In addition to funding the Thanksgiving shuttles, the Student Union is also working with Escort Services to run trials of an extra Waltham van.

Unannounced trials of the Waltham van were held on Oct. 25 and 26. Announced trials, where students were notified in an e-mail from Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 beforehand, were held on yesterday and another one will be held today.

In an interview with the Justice, Berin said that the purpose of holding unannounced trials was to determine how an extra van would accommodate the usual amount of students taking vans. He explained that if students were to be aware that there was an extra Waltham van running, more students would take vans on that day, because they would know that there would be more spaces available.

Berin said that data they will collect from both types of trials will "gauge actual demand" of an additional van. According to Berin, Escort Services will analyze information such as the number of reservations made for vans, the number of seats occupied on the van as well as any feedback received from the student community. Berin said that students can e-mail him with any particular concerns about the vans.

The purpose of running these trials is to "serve the Brandeis community," said Acheampong, in an interview with the Justice. Acheampong said that if there is an "actual demand" presented by the students, the Student Union has a responsibility to "fill that demand."

In addition to this initiative, the Student Union is adding signs to the Brandeis shuttle vans so that students will be able to distinguish between the campus vans and the Waltham vans.

According to Berin, the signs for the campus vans will be blue and the signs for the Waltham vans will be white with red lettering. The signs will be on both sides of the vans. The goal of adding signs is to reduce confusion among students in determining whether an approaching van is a campus or Waltham van. According to Berin, the signs will be posted on the vans within two weeks.

Berin said that the van signs initiative was a "direct result" of a Brandeis student who personally approached members of the Student Union expressing a concern to the Student Union. According to Berin, the issue was dealt with within a week. "If the resources are there," said Berin, "the Student Union will do everything [to address student concerns]."

Correction: The article incorrectly stated that Article 6, Section 1 of the Union Bylaws requires that the Student Union fund transportation for students before both the Thanksgiving break and the Spring/Passover Recess. In fact, the Senate amended the Bylaws at its Oct. 24 meeting. Article 6, Section 1 now requires the Senate to fund transportation "including but not limited to Logan Airport and New York City, preceding Thanksgiving Break."