Bus drivers mix work, wild rides

From the stroke of 7 p.m. until the wee hours of the morning, the Point-2-Point Express is the unrivaled bus line of the Chapel Hill social scene.

Most ride to get places, some just for fun. But for a group of individuals, the P2P is more than a ride of revelry -- it's their job.

"We know that when it gets to Thursday, Friday and Saturday it's party night, and we know it's going to be busy," said P2P driver Jimmy Wrenn. After a three-decade, accident-free truck driving career, the Chapel Hill native has returned to drive P2Ps for the past four years.

Despite the raucous bus atmosphere, Wrenn prefers his P2P night shift over a more standard route because of the students. He believes they really appreciate the service.

He recalled a recent Halloween when one student had a costume that was actually a P2P bus about 10 people long. "He did such a good job on the cardboard bus he was in, we couldn't turn him away."

The peak riding window runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. -- a time frame that driver and weekend supervisor Grandison Wells characterized as "the mass exodus from South Campus." According to Randy Young, spokesman for University police, the P2P averages more than 25,000 riders a month.

"The bottom line is I try to get them in as snuggly and comfortably as possible, as long as they are behind the yellow line," Wells said.

Wrenn agreed that the volume of weekend riders is the most challenging aspect of the job. "It's kind of fun until it gets to a point where there are so many passengers that it gets out of hand," he said. "Buses get behind schedule, and there is nothing that you can do about it."

He also said that students are generally understanding about delays and that he usually doesn't experience many problems with riders being too rowdy.

"I don't let them get on with beer or anything that I can see," Wells said. But on occasion he has noticed riders with soda bottles with questionable contents. "If they've got the lids on, I can't tell what's in there," he said.

Despite the aura of chaos that often characterizes the bus service, coordination of the bus line is actually a fine science. Drivers are in constant communication with each other and a mobile manager who operates out of a command center at the Department of Public Safety.

Drivers also share diverse tastes in music with their riders. "As long as we're driving, we are in control, so we can pretty much listen to what we want," said Wrenn, who tunes the dial to a classic rock radio station. "Everyone always seems to like classic rock, and they usually ask me what station they are listening to."

Wells tailors his music to the night of the week. On weekends, it is not uncommon to see passengers dancing to his lively hip-hop selections, but he generally reserves Sunday night for jazz. "Sunday night is a night to shift down and maybe hit the books," he said.

Drivers work P2P Express shifts of two hours at a time and rotate through their remaining time staffing the P2P on-demand shuttle. The Express bus driver seats are designed for highway use and lack the suspension and comfort features that are necessary for the stop-and-go nature of the P2P route.

"About two hours is all you can take," said Wrenn.

Despite the P2P's infamy, the express bus service has a relatively short history -- about four years. However, within that time, many of the drivers have developed quite a rapport with students.

Wells commonly is referred to by P2P riders as "Tracy" because of his striking resemblance to Saturday Night Live comedian Tracy Morgan. On occasion, he has driven buses to chants of "Tracy Morgan."

Wells is a 1986 graduate of UNC and lived his four years on campus in Hinton James Residence Hall, during a time when there was no P2P bus service.

"I didn't mind walking. It's good exercise for you."

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.