AMY WINKLER/Arizona Daily Wildcat U-Mart sales clerk Jon Hunneman, left, rings in a purchase for Michael Perry, a biology freshman, yesterday. Beginning this weekend, ASUA will transport students to Safeway from three campus dorms on Sundays.

A new ASUA courtesy shuttle, beginning Sunday, will give students the option to purchase groceries off campus at stores offering cheaper prices and larger selections than campus vendors.

The $1,680 project funding by ASUA is through Gray Line Tours, who will provide a van, a driver and insurance to provide transportation to and from the Safeway on the southeast corner of Broadway Boulevard and Campbell Avenue.

The 24-seater van will pick up students at three different dorm locations, Arizona-Sonora, La Paz and Manzanita-Mohave residence halls, and will drop them off at any dorm location desired.

The shuttle service is a project that Associated Students of the University of Arizona Sen. Sarah Calvert has been working on since she proposed it while running for senate last year.

"I lived in the residence halls last year, and I think that was one of the main issues," she said. "It will make the campus living condition more convenient."

In a survey taken late last September by ASUA, 82.2 percent of students said they thought a shuttle service would be beneficial. Of those students, the majority said they would most likely take advantage of the service.

"I think it will be very convenient for students if they don't have cars," said Ari Fife, a musical theater freshman. "I will probably use it."

The Student Union Memorial Center U-mart is a small grocery and food stop, but the prices on some items are higher than at Safeway and selection is limited.

"Students don't want to spend $5.00 on a box of cereal at the U-mart," said Arizona-Sonora residence assistant Mike Eiff.

A 14-ounce box of General Mills' Lucky Charms costs $6.49 at the U-mart; regularly priced at Safeway, a box would cost $4.19.

"Typically, prices are higher because we have to consolidate what we have," said Jon Hunneman, U-mart night manager. "We don't have enough customers to be able to buy in volume, in bulk, like Safeway does."

Not being able to purchase items in bulk limits U-mart from being able to give discounts to students on items that Safeway is capable of offering, he said.

Still, not all prices at the U-mart are higher than Safeway. A 13.5-ounce bag of Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips was priced the same at $3.29.

Running every Sunday - except the two Sundays of spring break - until April 28, students can be picked up in front of the three residence halls: Arizona-Sonora at noon and 2 p.m., Manzanita-Mojave at 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., and La Paz at 1:15 p.m.

Students need to be at least five minutes early to their pick-up location with their CatCard in order to access the shuttle.