Recently-elected slate Next Generation has allocated funding for two vans to be used by athletics groups, RSOs, and others. The vans will be paid for with funds from the Student Life Fee, which may be recouped through a fee charged upon rental.

That fee is likely to fall between $25 and $50 per rental. Each van will hold seven people, and depending on the system's success, a third may be acquired in Winter quarter.

"Instead of paying a bus company $400 for a weekend, they’ll pay $40 or $50 to check out the van," said third-year and newly-elected Student Government (SG) President Greg Nance, who was speaking about athletics groups, which often rent buses and pay by the hour.

Those fees are hoped to recover the costs of leasing the vans, each of which will cost $5,500, as well as further maintenance costs. If successful, the program could soon pay for itself, Nance said.

RSOs will enter into a lottery system to be able to use the vans, which will be rented based on time slots. Athletics teams and the University Community Service Center [UCSC] will each have priority

Acquiring the vans was one of 10 items on Next Generation's agenda for its first 30 days in office, which do not technically begin until summer. "We worked very hard to persuade Sharlene [Holly], the director of ORCSA," Nance said. "I had nine meetings with people from athletics and people from UCSC."

The system will go into effect in the fall, but it must be signed off on by Vice-President for Campus Life Kim Goff-Crews, as part of SG's annual budget, which she will do tomorrow.

"It's a great investment. They’re going to save a lot of clubs a lot of funding," Nance said.