Student Government announced yesterday that students will no longer be allowed to bring carry-on items aboard the Red Terror bus system.  

Tim Lipka, deputy chief of staff to the student body president, said they will be testing this idea over fall break when the population is more controllable for the football game against Duke.  

“It is a one-game pilot to see what happens,” Lipka said. “We are already expecting low ridership for the Duke game so this is how we are going to test it and see what happens. We are exploring options with this game.”

According to Lipka, the need for change to the game day bus system came from the increasing demands from the bus company, First Transit, to control problems they had been seeing ranging from alcohol to space.  

“We are trying to find a balance between First Transit’s demands and the demands of the students,” Lipka said. “We want to keep the students and the bus driver safe while allowing the students the freedom they want.”

Katie Ballard, a sophomore in brand management and marketing, said her experience with the game day bus system had been negative and that banning handbags would only further the problem.  

“If I have my purse it is because I am carrying something of importance, something that I need,” Ballard said. “If I have medicine or even my money in there, how can they tell me I can not take it with me?”

Lipka said that he understood the inconvenience of not allowing carry-on bags but that it was a more reasonable option than First Transit’s alternative request.  

“We have people getting on these buses and causing problems. The solution First Transit would like is uniformed security when people board the buses,” Lipka said. “We are looking for a happy middle ground because we can not afford uniformed security at every game.”

Red Terror already uses $6,000 of Student Government appropriated funds each month, Lipka said.

Ballard said she disagreed with regulating carry-on bags because it would be unfair to students who follow the rules.

“The most ridiculous thing about this concept, I think, is that only a few people are bringing alcohol onto the bus,” Ballard said. “So how can they limit those who are doing things the right way? ”

Limiting the ability of people to bring items on the bus that cause problems and taking into consideration student reactions is the most reasonable route of passage, Lipka said.

“This might not be a good idea,” Lipka said. “Not every idea of Student Government is a good idea. If there is student flashback between now and the Duke game or if the Duke game does not perform well we will go with T.S.A.’s 3-1-1 rule.”

The Transportation Security Agreement’s 3-1-1 policy, according to Lipka, monitors the amount of liquid transported by limiting it to three ounces of liquid in one clear one-quart size plastic bag. He said that these changes were absolutely necessary.

“We have got to do something because every week I get an e-mail from First Transit saying there has been an incident,” Lipka said. “3-1-1 is my ideal situation but First Transit wants something else. When it comes down to it, it is not up to us, it is on First Transit.”

Kaila Anderson, an out-of-state freshman in First Year College, said she believes the changes being made to the bus system resembling airport security are unnecessary.  

“Just because some people bring alcohol onto the buses doesn’t mean we are going to do it,” Anderson said. “They check your bags when you go in to the game as it is. I think it is kind of a hassle for those of us who don’t have cars and have to wait forever already to not be able to bring bags.”

Lipka said students are welcome to contact him via e-mail at [email protected] with suggestions.