Quad commuters can now take an unusual new ride: a sportily painted substitute bus painted with purple , yellow and green swirling motifs-a stopgap measure due to the mechanical failure of both the usual bus and an extra bus.

The luxurious vehicle, which traveles the Currier-Science Center express route, was rented from Northern Bus Sales, Inc., and will likely only be operational for one to two weeks.

The stylish transport includes radio, air conditioning, more comfortable seating and large-panel windows. (Though temperatures hovered in the mid-70s yesterday, the driver did not turn on the air conditioning system.) Students may also enjoy somewhat greater carrying capacity-especially important during peak traffic hours around 10:00 a.m.

Shuttle Services has no plans to purchase the new model to replace its aging fleet. Even though the old models suffer from a bouncy suspension and antiquated styling, this new bus will not be a viable substitute. Priced at $220,000 for a used vehicle, this new model simply can't compete with the economically priced current model, which retails in the $70,000 range.

Student reactions ranged from the very positive-"pretty damn cool"-to the lukewarm-"it's all right."

Pforzheimer House resident and frequent shuttle commuter Michael T. Lu '02 was more concerned with problems of crowding during rush hour than ergonomic comforts. One Cabot resident, noting that the new model was "very nice," still granted that the old ones "did their job."

The driver, however, was a decided fan of the new bus, calling it "heaven compared to the old one."

Shuttle Services could not be reached for comment.