A new Vandy Vans committee hopes to improve the system this semester.

Members of the committee will include Vanderbilt Student Government representatives, Vanderbilt University Police Department officers, Dean of Students staff and Dean of The Commons staff.

The committee will "come up with more innovative solutions to problems (with Vandy Vans) that they've experienced firsthand," said VSG President Cara Bilotta.

So far Vandy Vans has added a new 25-passenger direct route bus that runs from Branscomb Quad to North Hall on Thursdays through Saturdays, making a total of two such vans in the entire fleet.

Junior Becca Rogers, who has lived on Highland Quad the past two years, said a more structured and efficient timing schedule would improve Vandy Vans.

"It would be nice to have shorter wait times in between Vandy Vans stops, and the thought of waiting alone in the middle of the night for 15 minutes is never appealing, especially to a female," she said.

The committee will try to put Vandy Vans on a more predictable schedule, said VSG Security Co-chair Alan Dyer.

"Spacing of the vans is not always ideal," Dyer said. "(We want) to let students know exactly when they can expect a van to approach their stop."

The committee also will address issues that will arise as a result of the opening of The Commons in fall 2008.

"(We want to) prepare as best we can for the shift in campus dynamics and how it will affect Vandy Vans," she said.

And the committee will be instrumental in deciding on new routes and stops for Vandy Vans.

"(The plan is to) tweak and fine tune the routes to meet student needs," Bilotta said.

Junior Andrew Esakov, who has lived on main campus for three years, said the system fits his current needs.

"Vandy Vans connect the campus well," he said. "Everything on campus, and some off-campus locations as well, are just a short walk from the major stops."