Bus offers convenience to students

By Nicole Arias
Staff Writer

The bus doors clang open and one angry student climbs in.

Fifteen more wait behind him outside.

Leaning close to the driver, he says, "Were you the bus that passed us without stopping?"

"No," answers Ed Riehle, a driver of the Black Loop bus.

"You’re lucky it wasn’t you, or I would have punched you," the student says, patting Riehle’s shoulder. "You have no idea how pissed I was."

As the 15 other students board, the man asks Riehle his name and begins introducing him to the other passengers, saying, "Ed is a good guy," and "Ed keeps us out of jail."

Ten minutes later, the group of students start chanting, "Ed, Ed, Ed…" as the bus approaches their stops.

When they get off the bus, each one says "thank you" to Riehle, as instructed by the guy whose last words departing the bus were: "I may be drunk, but I’ll remember you."

This is Riehle’s first month driving the Black Loop bus and his collection of outrageous stories is growing by the hour.

The first time Riehle drove the Black Loop bus, people offered him money to drop them off someplace not on the route and one student tried convincing Riehle to let him do some karaoke over the intercom.

Riehle, who works as a full-time carpenter and drives buses part time, said he isn’t surprised by this behavior, but, at times, he is amused.

"They’re college kids having the best times of their lives," he said. "They’re free for the first time in their lives and they’re just out having fun."

Typically, 2,000 students ride the Black Loop and Night Rider buses on the weekend.

Those students have a variety of reasons for riding.

Lauren Kofeldt, a freshman in the School of Liberal Arts, said she feels safer riding the bus as opposed to walking at night. When she doesn’t leave parties until after the buses stop running, she walks home with friends.

Mike Watts, a freshman in the School of Science, and Conrad Harris, a freshman in Undergraduate Studies, said they ride the bus because it’s convenient.

"I don’t like to walk and the bus is fast," Watts said.

To some students, riding a late bus is only a warm-up for that night’s activities.

Watts said the people on the bus make the atmosphere fun and exciting.

"I find it exhilarating," he said.

He isn’t the only one who feels that way.

Riehle, who has also driven day buses on the weekend, said he prefers driving the late bus.

"During the day, the passengers are more quiet and reserved," he said. "They are either looking at their books or out the window."

Riehle said it is definitely more interesting to drive students during their "time to play."

• The Black Loop service runs every Friday and Saturday night until 2:41 a.m. The Night Rider service runs every Friday and Saturday night until 3:14 a.m. Both services are free to Purdue students who have their identification cards.

FEATURES DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 256

Features editor:
Megan Finnerty

To send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org