The Night Rider, a green and white e trans bus, passes the parking garage and turns the corner on Prairie Street. The brakes hiss and the big bus squeals to a stop across from the University Union at 11 p.m.

For several minutes the Night Rider waits in silence, its powerful diesel engine passively churning. Suddenly, bus driver Chris Oller swings the doors shut, buckles his seatbelt, announces, "Time to go," and the Night Rider sets out on its quest to transport students around campus during twilight hours.

Since spring 2003, the Night Rider, along with 26 other e trans buses, has offered students alternative transportation to and from campus.

Joe Richmond, associate director for transportation services, explained the e trans is a student-funded service, costing $3.50 per credit hour. NT owns 12 buses, costing around $100,000 each, and splits the cost with the City of Denton on the other 15. NT pays the city around $37 an hour to operate e trans; the university only sets the bus routes. Richmond says the purpose of e trans is to separate students from their cars and relieve parking congestion on campus.

"Your car doesn't need an education," Richmond said. "Leave it at home." The Night Rider is the bus fleet's unique route because it runs well past peak hours. While most buses quit running at 10:30 p.m., the Night Rider stays awake until 2:30 a.m., making the 40-minute loop around campus looking for riders. There are actually two Night Rider buses, making continuous loops around campus, starting at 5:30 p.m. The buses pass each stop every 20 minutes.

The Night Rider rambles past Sorority Row on Bernard Street, turns left on Maple Street and continues past the fraternity houses. A lone rider sits near the back of the bus, picked up from the Union. Oller says the bus only sees a "handful" of riders past 10 p.m. The Night Rider averages 254 riders a day, but most ride earlier in the night. "It's pretty quiet," Oller says, taking a swig from an Ozarka water bottle. Despite a stop near Fry Street in front of Lucky Lou's, Oller says he's never picked-up anyone from the bars.

Richmond says he thought more bar-hoppers would ride the late-night bus, but the bus is not meant to be a "party bus."

Before coming to NT in 2003, Richmond ran the University of Texas at Austin shuttle system. Richmond says UT offers an "entertainment bus," successfully transporting students from campus to 6th Street, and sees no harm in students getting home on the Night Rider after a late night. "The ticket is to ride that thing [from Fry Street]," Richmond said. "Make it home safe." The Night Rider cruises to the Fouts Field parking lot at 11:10 p.m. looking for anyone waiting for a ride. Oller says Fouts is a frequent stop for students that leave their cars in the parking lot for the day.

Tonight the parking lot is empty, and Oller never stops. The Night Rider, as well as the other buses, is only required to stop at several pre-determined areas. If nobody is waiting at a stop, the bus drives on. From Fouts, the Night Rider passes under Interstate Highway 35 East, turns left on Walt Parker Drive and drives toward Victory Hall. Oller says Victory Hall produces some late-night riders, mainly students returning to other dorms after visiting friends.

Near the stop, a red and white light illuminates, alerting Oller someone needs off the bus. At the Victory Hall stop, the lone rider from the Union steps out, saying, "Thank you. Goodnight." "Goodnight," Oller replies. "About one out of every two riders tell me thank you," Oller says proudly.

Oller drove a K-12 school bus while attending NT in the late 1970s and he says driving college students is quite a change. "I haven't had any problems," Oller says. "I was surprised." The Night Rider's door is slammed shut, the engine roars back to life and the bus starts its trip back to the Union, no passengers aboard.

At 11:37 p.m., the Night Rider turns the same familiar corner, the brakes hiss once again and the bus stops in front of the same University Union. A student waits at the bus stop in the cold. As soon as the Night Rider opens up, the student rushes to the warmth inside of the bus.

The Night Rider waits for several minutes, closes up and heads back out on the same journey around campus.

"It's monotonous, yeah," Oller says. "At 2:30, I'm ready to go home."

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