Larger, more comfortable buses will carry students, faculty and staff around campus this fall on the university�s shuttle service.

The new fleet for the Cougar Line replaces the smaller temporary shuttles that were put into place last semester when Groome Transportation took over as the new service provider.

The buses are hard to miss: They have oversized images of actual University of Houston students on the back and sides. Riders will notice they hold more passengers and have comfortable, cloth seats emblazoned with the UH logo. The buses also have video monitors mounted on the inside that will allow Parking and Transportation Services to broadcast UH-related information.

�We think students will really enjoy the experience of riding our new buses as they get around campus,� said Robert Browand, director of Parking and Transportation Services. �Once they step on board, they will immediately notice how much of an upgrade they are to the temporary shuttles that were in place last semester.�

This video provides an excellent glimpse into the new buses and what they offer.

As people board the spacious new buses, they are being asked to swipe their Cougar Cards in an electronic reader adjacent to the door as part of the �Make Your Ride Count� campaign. The push to get riders to swipe their Cougar Cards is being made with one goal in mind: improving service.

�We�ll be able to take a close look at ridership numbers on the different routes at different times of day and adjust bus frequencies as needed,� Browand said.

The card-reading machines will keep track of how many riders are boarding, but do not read any personal information.

The routes for the Cougar Line are not changing. Maps are available online for those who want to see the Campus Loop, Eastwood/ERP Line, ERP Express and the Outer Loop routes.

Anyone with questions about the Cougar Line or the �Make Your Ride Count� campaign can call Parking and Transportation Services at 832-842-1097 or email parking@uh.edu.