Take the trolley and leave the car. Weekend nights downtown and in the Village could be safer and easier for Ball State University students who choose to hitch a ride on the free Late Loop that starts next week.
Beginning April 5, the Muncie Indiana Transit System is implementing a trial bus route, "The Late Loop," which will serve neighborhoods east of campus, the Village and downtown Muncie. The buses will run Thursday through Saturday, every 20 minutes between 9:50 p.m. and 3:30 a.m., Mary Gaston, MITS assistant general manager, said.
"It should be a safe alternative to driving late at night, especially after hitting the bars," Gaston said.
Junior Kelli Shives said that was one of her goals when she and her media sales class partner, junior Kristen Davis, came up with the late night route for a project last semester. They were required to come up with ideas to pitch to downtown clients, she said. Many of their classmates came up with ideas for events, Shives said, but she and Davis thought the bigger issue was actually getting people downtown.
"I think it is something that everyone has thought about, but no one has put into action," she said.
Davis said the route would give students more choices for weekend activities, provide a safe form of transportation to and from events and eliminate parking problems.
The students looked at what was available at Ball State and compared it to Indiana University's bus service, nicknamed "The Drunk Bus," Shives said.
"One of the reasons [The Late Loop] was created is to prevent drunk driving," she said. "It will decrease the number of people on the roads."
Gaston said MITS was open to the idea when it heard about the late night service, if proper funding could be secured. A few weeks ago MITS was approached by merchants interested in funding the endeavor, she said. MITS agreed to a trial run until May 5, she said. If students would like to see the route continued into next year, they should support by riding often, Gaston said.
Doc's Music Hall, located downtown, is having a Late Loop benefit show on April 5 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. The $3 cover charge and 10 percent of sales that night will go toward paying for the MITS route, Michael Martin, owner of FM Music and Doc's, said. Senior Cory Hill, the Michael Martin Band, Ruined for Life and other musicians will be playing, Martin said.
Doc's was interested in funding The Late Loop because it believes the route will be worth it, he said.
"We believe the student population is a big part of the Muncie community," Martin said. "We want to make sure they can come out and get home safe."
Davis and Shives created a Facebook event, "Tipsey Trolley," in honor of The Late Loop. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, about 230 students confirmed they were attending.
"I hope [the trial run] is successful," Shives said. "Not just for me, but for all students. It prevents drinking and driving and helps the businesses downtown. Everybody benefits."
Shives said she and Davis were not only concerned about getting an "A" in their class but wanted to gain experience and make a difference.
"It feels really good that something we worked so hard on in class actually pulled through," Davis said.
The Late LoopThursdays through Saturdays9:50 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.Trial run: April 5 - May 5
The Late Loop Benefit Concert10 p.m. to 3 a.m.Thursday, April 5Doc's Music Hall, 215 South Walnut Street
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