Students will decide whether to “get on it” and vote to keep the $9 fee that enables unlimited use of the COTA bus service.Voting will take place Jan. 26 and 27. If the students choose to end the program, unlimited service will remain the same, but students will have to pay for riding the buses 30 days after the vote.The program was initiated by the Undergraduate Student Government and approved by students with a 5-1 majority in January 1997, with 5,702 students voting. The State Controlling Board and the Ohio State Board of Trustees approved an exemption to the 6 percent cap on tuition increases that allowed the program to begin on March 31, 1997. The program gives students unlimited access to COTA buses for $9 each quarter, which is included in tuition.It is important for students to voice their opinion by voting on the issue, said USG President Josh Mandel.”The strength behind the services are that students voted for them,” Mandel said.In the second week of June, spring quarter of 1998, about 4,774 students used COTA, said Mitch Finke, business development coordinator for COTA. This fall during the first week of school a total of 9,397 students rode COTA, he said.”There was a major increase in student usage from last year,” Finke said.OSU students paid about $1.3 million for 1,039,062 bus rides between March 1997 and March 1998, according to figures provided by Kevin Cope, chairman of the OSU/COTA partnership advisory committee.That means students paid $1.31 per ride during that period, 21 cents over the regular fare. To bring the amount paid even with costs, students would pay a $7.58 fee per quarter.Jeff Capell, president of the College Republicans, said he thinks students should not be forced to pay for the COTA program. He pointed out that Capital University students can pay $40 a year for a bus pass if they choose to buy one, and it is not included in their tuition. “Instead of being forced to pay $36 a year, OSU students should be given the same option Capital University students have,” Capell said. “Students who ride the bus regularly get a great deal, those who do not ride are no longer forced to pay.”COTA has responded to student concerns by increasing the number of buses that serve the campus area, Finke said.”COTA has added over $450,000 worth of service in the OSU area,” Finke said. “Student ridership was increasing and this is what the students wanted.”Students like senior Jenn Houser, a human resources major, are pleased with the COTA program.”I live off-campus and COTA is an easy way to get around, especially for home football games,” Houser said. “It also saves me money on gas.”COTA has also been handing out promotional items to students at the Ohio Union and to student organizations during their meetings. Volunteers from City Year, a national service program for 17 to 24-year-olds, helped pass out bags with bus schedules, pencils and a coupon book to students at the Ohio Union earlier this week.Brian Sullivan, marketing coordinator for City Year, said COTA provides transportation for all their members.”It is a partnership we maintain by helping and supporting them, in return they help and support us,” Sullivan said.Capell said he thinks COTA is going to try and buy the election and he doesn’t understand why City Year volunteers were handing out promotional items to students.”I’m sure there is something more important and valuable that these volunteers could be doing,” Capell said.