Students can no longer use the excuse that it's too cold outside, or that the party is too far from home to go out. The Campus and Town Loop, a source of transportation for students, will be free on a trial basis during the weekends of Feb. 10 and 17.

The main purpose of making the Loop free is to provide safe transportation during the cold weather, said Josh Bokee, president of the Undergraduate Student Government Senate.

"It's not an original idea, but we took the initiative to do it," Bokee said. Town Senator James Burrell did a majority of the work to bring the service to students.

The Loop will be free both weekends from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. for town and campus routes.

Eric Bernire, director of marketing and service development for Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA), said USG brought the idea to him in late October.

"My hope is that people that need it will take advantage of it," Bernire said.

The service's cost is a little more than what the Loop would make on a slow weekend and a little less than what CATA takes in on a busy weekend, Bernire said. CATA looked at the average business of February 1994 to estimate the costs completely.

CATA and the Senate would also like to put a pamphlet together comprised of a Loop map, important phone numbers and information on safer places to walk.

At the beginning of last semester the Senate did a survey in East Halls, asking questions such as what improvements could be made in that area. The most popular responses were for a cheaper or free Loop and for more fun activities.

Although Jenna Jappe (junior-general arts and sciences) does not live in East Halls, she agrees with East Halls residents.

"I think it's a pretty good idea, because people can take the Loop home instead of a taxi," Jappe said. Jappe said she rides the Loop occasionally.

The main sponsors of the project are the USG Senate, CATA, the East Halls Residence Association, the Association of Residence Halls Students, the Pollack/Nittany Residence Hall Association and the Center Halls Residence Association.