Emily Ancinec received something in early August that was “kind of uncomfortable.”

The Facebook profile “Bgsu Tarta,” whose creator is currently unknown, sent a direct message to the Undergraduate Student Government president.

The message read, “It’s better to get on the bus than get run over by it.”

Ancinec didn’t respond but thought the message “came across as threatening.”

Despite the message, Ancinec reported at Monday’s USG meeting what she knew about Toledo Area Transit Authority from speaking with University administrators.

TARTA allows people to “gain the freedom of the region” by using their bus routes, which go all over the Toledo area, according to its website.

The Facebook group concerning the issue, “BGSU students for TARTA service,” states their objective on the group page and it is as follows:

“Goal is to provide BGSU students more options to travel for pleasure, work and freedom in the LUCAS and WOOD County areas.”

Ancinec was later contacted again when the student group asked for an endorsement from USG through email.

“I didn’t respond back because, as I said at the meeting, I didn’t want to go ahead and say something to them before addressing everyone [in USG] and getting a feel for what they want to do,” Ancinec said. “And I think the thing we want to do right now is bring them in.”

USG has plans to invite Bgsu Tarta and TARTA to speak to USG at a meeting, Ancinec said.

University administrators had conversations with TARTA and then looked into how it would work logistically if TARTA did come to the University, Ancinec said.

Ancinec said the initiative is student-led and “a couple administrators contacted TARTA, the company.” What Jill Carr said is that TARTA is a company that is in no way initiated a movement to bring it to BGSU, Ancinec said.

“The TARTA system has been like, ‘well, we’re not the ones in charge of this, this isn’t really our doing, we’re not really interested in it right now,'” Ancinec continued. “But … that’s just what I’ve heard from the administration.”

Steve Atkinson, director of marketing at TARTA, confirmed TARTA had not initiated the movement but disagreed with Ancinec’s statement. Atkinson said they were interested in possibly having a bus route between Toledo and the University or city but isn’t sure where the idea that TARTA “wasn’t interested” came from.

“[We are] certainly interested,” Atkinson said. “As this develops, if it is something the University wants to do and the students want to do, it’s something we do want, too.”

Atkinson confirmed discussions between the University and TARTA, but said nothing had been decided.

“There have been some conversations between BGSU officials and TARTA officials,” Atkinson said. “There are no dates set, no prices – it’s way to early – it’s just a discussion-type thing.”

Atkinson said TARTA was first contacted by an individual from the Facebook group titled “BGSU students for TARTA service.” He also said it sounded like there had been some support from Facebook, and he had even looked at the group and joined himself.

“Yeah, I’m a member,” Atkinson said. “That way I can keep a tab on it, just see what’s going on with it. I haven’t been active.”

University sophomore Brianna Rinhard also joined the group titled “BGSU students for TARTA service” after receiving a message from the Facebook profile “Bgsu Tarta.”

The message read “900 of your fellow classmates are inviting you to join us. Our only goal is to bring TARTA bus service to BG. This would mean multiple trips daily to LEVIS COMMONS and all of greater Toledo from BG, without having to use a car.”

Rinhard said she didn’t know what TARTA was but liked the group because she is a commuter student and thought other commuters could benefit from a bus to Toledo. While Rinhard, who is a commuter, would not personally benefit from the suggested service, as she lives in the opposite direction, she thinks it’s possible others will.

“I just think it would be really beneficial for kids on the campus from the Toledo area, and we have so many people here from the Toledo area,” Rinhard said.

Nine hundred and twenty Facebook users have already joined the group, some of them students from the University.