Magnolia late night shuttle rides
A Friday morning shuttle ride to campus from Magnolia Park Apartments might reveal a few reminders from the fun-filled night preceding it. A glow stick may be found precariously wrapped around one of the seats, and perhaps a few wristbands from Capital City or Velvet Elvis may be found tattered on the floor.
Magnolia Park is capitalizing on Thursday night fun by offering a new late night shuttle bus—11 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. to and from downtown Milledgeville. The 25-passenger shuttle began taking Magnolia Park residents downtown after spring break and made its fourth Thursday night trek downtown April 24.
“There were a lot of residents who brought up the idea of having a shuttle ride to downtown on Thursday nights,” said Norris McCormick, Magnolia’s shuttle driver, affectionately known as Kane. “So I passed the message to the manager, and she passed the word on to corporate. It took about five months but they told me I could do it if I wanted to,” Kane said.
The brightly colored shuttle has been making its rounds to campus during the day since Magnolia Park opened in fall 2006. The shuttle has been a draw for the apartment’s business and is a very noticeable part of the amenities available there.
“When I came here as property manager in February, our renewal rates were not where we wanted them to be,” said Robin Hixon, Magnolia Park’s new property manager. “With a poll, we found that the main reason people were leaving was due to our location. I pitched the idea of a night shuttle to the regional manager and here we are,” said Hixon.
The night shuttle has been a success; many residents are glad to have Kane as their Thursday night designated driver.
“The shuttle is definitely a fun time. It saves on gas, the cost of a taxi and the risk of a DUI,” Zack Etheridge, an employee of the apartment complex, said. “The party shuttle is crunk and safe.”
Paul Wyche, a biology major and Magnolia Park resident, explains how “crunk” the shuttle really is.
“There was definitely some booty-dancing and hip-hop music playing,” said Wyche. “We were given glow sticks when we got in and people wore them around their heads or twirled them around to the music. It’s basically like having prom every Thursday but not having to pay for it. I mean, I would be OK with just staying on the shuttle all night while Kane drove us around.”
The popularity of the night shuttle has grown since its first weeks. Overcrowding has become a possible safety issue on the 25-passenger shuttle.
“The first time the shuttle went downtown we had about 130 people ride that night. The next week we had around 200 people, and this past time we had around 350 people ride in one night,” Kane said. “There are probably around 50 to 60 riders per trip.”
Doubling the shuttle’s capacity could be a danger.
“Once any building or form of public transportation is over capacity it is unsafe,” said Chief Miller Rogers of the Milledgeville Fire Department. “If a shuttle is carrying double its capacity it is way over what it should be. I could understand how having two or three people over, but anything over that could cause crowding and less space to escape in case of an emergency.”
Having a crowded shuttle could also allow people to sneak alcoholic beverages onto the shuttle.
“I brought a (alcoholic) drink on the shuttle, Kane drove so smoothly I didn’t spill a drop. ‘Original Gangster’ was playing in the background,” Mark Nejedly said, a junior physical education major. “There were probably around 40 people in the shuttle.”
Hixon says the night shuttle has been “maxed-out” at times. She adds that no food or drinks are allowed on the shuttle.
“We don’t advocate or condone drinking. However, we do realize the need for a night shuttle, and we will address any problems immediately that may arise.” Hixon said.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Apr 25 2008. Filed under Features.
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