"I get out here 15 minutes early because I know I'll get left," said sophomore child development Ann Vodicka, who rides the Express Route. "By the time you get left, it's too late to walk to class."

As buses are overwhelmed with larger numbers of riders, Vodicka is wondering just how much she can depend on the university's public transit system.

"The Express Route added the APH stop last week, but it's not convenient at 55 after," Vodicka said. "By that time, you're late to class anyway."

Though AppalCART lost significant funding from the N.C. Department of Transportation this year, the system is doing its best to accommodate all who use public transit, said Chris Turner, AppalCART's transportation director.

When a bus driver sees that students are not able to fit on the bus, they radio into AppalCART to get a temporary bus on the route, said Barry Sauls, Appalachian's director of parking and traffic.

"We're going to continue to address these needs where we're seeing them pop up," Sauls said. "But we're running out of colors. We're going to have to start naming routes magenta and lime."

In addition to the new Silver Route, which officials hope will be operational by August 2012, AppalCART will add one bus to the Purple Route by October, Turner said. AppalCART has ordered a longer bus that will accomodate more seats.

AppalCART has also considered increasing the student transportation fee to increase bus frequency during peak periods of ridership and reduce overcrowding, according to its five-year plan. To support about 20,000 additional hours of AppalCART service, AppalCART would have to increase the annual transportation fee by $80.

AppalCART must also take into account operating costs, which it projects will rise at a faster rate than funding revenue.

In the meantime, overcrowding is still an issue.