University-owned buses are maintained for the purpose of providing transportation for official business of the university. Official business involving use of buses is outlined in the priorities listed below. In accordance with monies budgeted by departments for travel by buses, appropriate fiscal approval is required to approve requests for the use of university-owned or controlled buses.

Occasionally, the demand for charter or shuttle bus service is greater than NIU Transportation Services can provide internally. In those circumstances, the manager of Transportation Services may arrange for a contracted bus to be provided. The higher cost of a contracted bus may be passed on to the user. No higher priority use may bump an already-scheduled, lower-priority use within 15 calendar days of that scheduled trip.

Priority for use of buses is as follows:

• For use directly related to instruction in which the use may be considered as part of a credit course. For such use students may be requested to contribute toward the expense of the trip.
• For use directly related to educationally-related activities such as workshops: institutes either for or not for credit. For this use, the workshop or the institute is expected to pay for the use of the buses.
• For use by academic departments for educationally-related purposes.
• For use directly related to recognized intercollegiate activities. Involved herein is transportation for athletic teams and their coaches. Intercollegiate Athletics bears expenses herein.
• For use of sponsored activities. Student activities that are sponsored with funds from student activities fees or other university funds are normally permitted the use of university buses for their activities. Such activities of course must be legal and in the public interest in the judgment of the president. The fund of the student activity itself or payment by the users is necessary to pay for the transportation involved.
• For uses involved in public relations. The use of university-owned or controlled buses for travel involving public relations is necessarily limited. Even though many university-related organizations have established accounts within the university, their use of buses requires approval by the president or his designee. Generally, it is not possible to permit use of buses by organizations listed with accounts identified as "convenience amounts" and "other organizations." The use of buses for travel related to conferences is limited to use by university-sponsored groups, and even in such latter cases must be approved by the president or his designee and must be paid for by the user.

Faculty, staff, and students of NIU, in accordance with the above priorities, are given first choice of the use of university buses. The Vice President of Operations or his designee may authorize the use of university buses by other State agencies provided such are available and provided appropriate reimbursement arrangements have been completed.

Smoking is prohibited in university buses by state law. The use of alcohol in or on university-owned or contracted buses is prohibited.