BY TRISTAN LONG

chh@heraldsun.com; 419-6654

CHAPEL HILL -- Being a university town with a large student population, Chapel Hill is one of those places that the U.S. Bureau of Census is interested in spreading the word about the importance of being part of the nation's population count -- and some of the mechanics involved.

What better way to do that than through Tobacco Road's favorite pastime.

With the murmured roars of the North Carolina-Georgia Tech men's basketball game in the background, the 2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour National bus, dubbed "Mail It Back," rolled into Chapel Hill on Saturday as part of its nationwide tour.

Tony Jones, a spokesman with the Charlotte Regional Census Center, said that the interactive, walk-through tour bus is being used to promote the next Census Day, which is on April 1. Americans should expect their 10-question census forms to arrive between March 15 and 17.

"It's really about progress and educating people that the census is coming up, and what it is all about," Jones said.

And considering more than 20,000 fans packed the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday, Chapel Hill is the perfect place to promote the upcoming day.

"[We chose Chapel Hill] for the traffic," Jones said. "We also want to reach out to the students because they are so hard to count. They are always on the move. We're trying to make a concerted effort to make sure that they know that they count, too."

Fans had the opportunity to visit the tour bus following the game at 4 p.m.

The bus features three miniature studios where visitors can create their own video recordings of what the census means to them. Visitors will also find an interactive board that explains each of the 10 census questions and why each question is asked.

Jones said that the biggest misconception is that most parents and guardians don't realize that students are residents of "wherever they lay their head most of the time." That would be Chapel Hill, not their respective hometowns, for many students.

Jones said he hopes to have 200-300 people visit the national touring bus, but realizes that a Tar Heel victory could either increase or decrease those numbers.

"[The game's outcome] could absolutely affect our numbers," Jones said.

The "Make It Back" bus's visit to Chapel Hill will be its only stop in North Carolina. The vehicle will visit in Columbia, S.C., on Jan. 17, Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 18 and Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 21.