DOTS pulls off largely drama-free transport to Navy game

Some of DOTS' bus drivers got lost, at least one bus broke down, and many students had to stand on the trip to Baltimore and back.

Even so, students and Department of Transportation Services officials said they were generally impressed with what DOTS director David Allen called the "biggest movement of people in our history" as an estimated 2,000 people rode Shuttle-UM buses to Monday's football game against Navy.

DOTS provided buses outside Comcast Center as early as 10 a.m. to start driving students to the 4 p.m. game at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium, warning students in an e-mail, "Do not wait until 2 to come. You may not be able to get on a bus."

Many students took no chances; by about 9:30 a.m. there was already a long line forming, with hundreds of fans clamoring for a spot on the first bus.

Chris Goggin, a senior accounting and finance major, said he dropped off his friends at 9 a.m. to make sure they got on the first bus to the stadium, parked his car and then ran back to meet up with them.

"I'm really glad Maryland offered the buses," Goggin said. "It offered a really good alternative for students to renting a bus or drinking at the tailgate and then having to drive after the game."

Goggin said his friends had begun to organize a bus rental for the game but were relieved, considering the cost of renting a bus, when the university announced it would provide transportation.

Goggin said his only complaint was the drivers didn't seem properly briefed on the route.

"Our bus got completely lost and got back on the highway; the students had to show him how to get there, and I know the bus behind ours got lost too," Goggin said.

Alyssa Sanders, a senior history major, said that even though her bus broke down on the way home, she was still happy the service was offered.

Sanders' bus pulled over, and the driver got out without telling them what was going on, she said. They weren't aware the bus had broken down until mechanics arrived about 30 minutes later, she added.

"I'm definitely glad they had the buses or else I most likely wouldn't have gone to the game, but it was definitely an unwelcome annoyance after such a long day," Sanders said.

Beverly Malone, Assistant to the Director of DOTS, said as far as she knew everything went well, but she didn't have any information about the buses getting lost or breaking down.

Staff writer Alicia McCarty contributed to this report. farrell at umdbk dot com