Minnesota State University Reporter

Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Student Life

Media Credit: Raymond Starin The sober bus runs Saturday and Sunday mornings in Mankato.

Driving a bus full of people who have been enjoying a night out might not sound like much fun to some, but for Scott Schlueter, it's how he spends his early Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Schlueter has driven what is affectionately called the drunk bus for two years and has seen both some strange and disgusting things.

"One night a guy got on the bus and started saying he was going to puke," Schlueter recalled. "The guy's cheeks filled up like a chipmunk. I told him if he puked on the bus he'd go to detox, so the guy swallowed it."

Technically called the sober bus, the bus that runs from downtown up to the apartments around campus on Saturday and Sunday mornings is a safe and reliable ride for many.

The city of Mankato started the sober bus as a no-cost service in October 2004. An alternate to the more costly taxi cab rides, a trip on the sober bus is only $1.

"It's a good deal for a dollar," said one first-time rider.

"It's the best return on a buck you can get," said Schlueter, who is a regular driver.

While Schlueter has seen many different things and dealt with many different situations, most are not as crazy as one might think.

"The rumors are better than reality," Schlueter said. "The majority of riders are decent. There is a small handful that are a real pain."

More common are the chants of "Ole! Ole! Ole!" or "USA! USA!" that are common at sporting events and are occasionally screamed by overly excited passengers while riding the bus.

Not only is the ride up the hill usually entertaining, it also serves its main purpose. The bus was designed solely to ensure that individuals who feel they have had too much to drink have a safe way home instead of driving. The bus is designated to take individuals home and does not pick up passengers to take them downtown.

"There is no reason for anyone to get a DUI around here," Schlueter said.

"It's a great investment," said one passenger.

"It keeps people from drinking and driving," said another.

If passengers are too drunk to let Schlueter know where they live, the cops are called to deal with them. In the two years he's been driving the bus, Schlueter has only had to call the cops on four people.

The bus runs from midnight to 3 a.m. on the weekends and only during the academic school year. Homecoming and Halloween weekends are the busiest of the year, Schlueter said. During those weekends two buses run instead of the usual one.

In light of all the current controversy surrounding MSU and Mankato about binge drinking, it should be remembered that there are safe avenues being utilized, and perhaps not everyone knows about them.


Ashley Nelson is a Reporter staff writer

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