Don't ride the bus

Rarely a school day goes by where I don’t see complaints about the IU Campus Bus Service on my Twitter feed.

Whether it’s cramped seating, passengers playing their music multiple decibels too loud or their constant tardiness, people just don’t enjoy riding the buses.

So, I suppose I’ll just go ahead and say it. No one should ever want to ride the public buses here at IU.

Ridership has declined on IU Campus Bus Services for the past two years, and that’s in spite of steady enrollment rates.

We have around the same number of students at IU. But more of us are realizing you can’t depend on public transportation, especially with its spotty record for consistency.

Now, I’m not saying Campus Bus Services aren’t a necessity, because many students don’t have cars and rely primarily on buses to get to and from campus.

I’m sure many students who do have cars at school use buses anyway, considering the costs of gas and owning a car.

Those kids get a free pass.

The rest of you in walking distance or living on campus have no excuse.

There isn’t a single place you can’t get to at IU in 15 minutes if you’re trying hard enough. I’ll give you 20 minutes if your backpack is particularly heavy that day.

Now, perhaps it’s my untrusting and pessimistic nature, but given I can make it to campus from my apartment in about eight walking minutes, I see no point in using a
bus that’s more than likely running late.

Even when the temperatures dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and I’m looking out my window into the frozen tundra, I still suck it up and walk to class.

Sure, it may be cold, but a little fresh air and exercise never beat anybody up too badly. You may not get a six-pack of abs from foregoing the bus, but burning off a few calories you picked up at the bar last weekend won’t hurt.

The next time you’re thinking that walk from the Union to Kelley will be the death of you, or making it from your dorm to a friend’s dorm in a different neighborhood is just too far to muster on your own, think again.

It’s not bad at all. Take in the fresh air. Enjoy our beautiful campus. Get a little light exercise in.

Most importantly, run on your own schedule that isn’t dictated by the Campus Bus Services.
    
­— wdmcdona@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald.