The city's bus system is slated for some major changes this summer, but at least one Yukon College student says they aren't enough.

Late evening and Sunday service are both needed, as is a more flexible Saturday schedule, and Sandy Helland believes there are riders out there willing to pay more for the additional service.

"I want Whitehorse (Transit) to know,” she said in an interview Thursday, stating her plans to write and phone the city with her proposal.

Helland has already offered her idea on a suggestion sheet available recently at the college.

Other students came forward with proposals like having an after-hours coffee/tea machine, keeping the bookstore open until at least 6:30 p.m., new ways of purchasing books and so on.

For Helland, though, one of the major issues facing the college is the need for better bus service.

Many, like herself, would be willing to pay up to $5 a trip during the weekday evenings and Sundays to get to and from the school. She also believes there are others around town who would be willing to do the same as well.

Currently, buses stop running around 7:00 most evenings, with the exception of Friday, when they operate up until almost 10 p.m. depending on the route. There is no service on Sunday.

As both a college student who walks, buses and uses cabs to get around as well as a part-time cab driver, Helland has met enough people throughout the city she believes would use the additional service and be willing to pay more for it.

"There's enough demand,” she said. Some residents find themselves paying $10 a trip or more just to get between their homes and downtown when the buses aren't running, she added.

Residents can, for example, take the bus downtown to see an early movie, but are stuck finding their own way home when it's over.

Though Helland is not certain of the costs of implementing her proposed system change, she argued those willing to pay the $5 ticket price could pre-pay for a certain amount of the service.

When enough people have shown the demand is there, the city could then begin offering it. If there aren't enough people interested, those who did pre-pay would get their money back.

"There is a way,” she said.

The city's new loop-based system will be implemented in early July and is expected to include some extended runs and a more convenient schedule.

Helland, however, said it really won't make a lot of difference if the schedule is improved through the weekdays, when most Whitehorse residents are at school or work. Rather, it's the evening and weekend service that needs major improvement, she argued.

Brian Crist, the city's director of operations, said today such a system is "always a possibility,” but right now officials are focused on getting the scheduled changes in place for July.

"This is seen as a first step, a first major step,” he said of the new schedule.

That service will extend bus service a bit more into the evening, but Crist acknowledges it certainly won't go as late as some of the night courses at Yukon College do.

It's important to keep in mind too, he said, the city looks at all potential users when it comes up with its schedule rather than one specific group like the college.

"It's based on an overall community need,” he said.

When the city did its consultation on the new schedule, Yukon College was part of that with one of the public meetings happening at the school to ensure users there had a say.

With time, city officials will evaluate how the new system is working and whether any changes may be necessary. Such a review is likely at least a year away, he said.

An additional $276,000 has been set aside in the city's budget for the new bus system, bringing the total transit budget up to $3.2 million for 2011, and city officials are aiming to increase ridership by 30 per cent with it.