BU Bus Etiquette

We’ve all had to ride the bus at some point, most of us even on a daily basis. We rely on the bus to get us to class, to town, to Walmart, to Upper Campus, and to get us safely back to Main Street when we’re drunk. But usually four or five weeks into the semester, students become too preoccupied with assignments, exams, and activities to remember how to be polite on public transportation. So, here’s our list on the top 10 rules for riding the buses.

1. Do not talk on the phone loud enough for everyone to hear you. If you’re able to, ask if you can call the person back or switch to texting. It may seem like a pain, but when the tables turn, do YOU really want to listen to someone complain about their C- in a Gen. Ed. class?
2. Save the food for later. We’re all guilty of it – attempted to casually slip your fingers into your Styrofoam container to snack on some chips. But your smelly Buffalo Chicken pizza or mashed potato bowl wafts throughout the entire bus, making everyone either nauseous or hungry.
3. Give your seat up to someone who needs it. Especially in the mornings, the bus is crowded and there are always those one or two people running late with a coffee in one hand and a textbook and several papers in the other. It may seem like a 5 minute bus ride to you but offering someone your seat might make their day!
4. Avoid the “casual stare then look away.” We all people watch. But if you get caught, smile – not in a creepy way – being friendly might make the whole “no personal space” thing a little less awkward.
5. Don’t throw up on the Drunk Bus. I mean, I know we can’t really control that but seriously, how disgusting is it riding around in a bus that smells like puke?
6. Don’t make the bus wait for you while you run from 50 feet away. At that point, just wait for the next one or walk instead.
7. Be aware of your surroundings. If you have to stand, make sure you’re not whacking people with your backpacks! We know it can be bumpy, but no one wants to get a black eye on their way to class.
8. No PDA! Do we even need to elaborate?
9. Do not sing along to the radio OR complain if you don’t like the station. We all know that one driver who likes his Christian station, but he’s on the bus a lot longer than you so just suck it up for the 5 or 10 minutes.
10. Thank the bus drivers! They are not our personal chauffeurs so make sure you thank them before getting off at your stop.