A Miami Metro bus driver refused service to a Miami first-year early Feb. 1 claiming she was too intoxicated. After arguing with the driver, the girl began to walk home. Per policy, the police were called and the student was charged with underage intoxication by the Oxford Police Department before being transported to her residence hall.
The Miami Student editorial board agrees with the Miami Metro's policy of denying students access to the bus if they may negatively impact other bus riders or interfere with the driver's ability to safely transport students. There should be restrictions on seemingly intoxicated students using the bus service due to the possibility of disrupting sober patrons and distracting the driver. The policy is a preventative measure to make sure other bus patrons aren't affected by one person's decision of drinking heavily.
The bus is a public place for students and drivers are expected to treat students as if they were in a public place-including calling police in instances of underage intoxication.
It is not the driver's job to care for intoxicated students. If students choose to drink, they need to make sure they are in control or friends are there to ensure they make it home without causing harm to themselves or others.
Drivers can be distracted by intoxicated students if they become loud or misbehave while on the bus. It is the driver's main job to drive the bus, not look after students who have had too much to drink.
Intoxicated patrons may also affect the running schedule of the Miami Metro. Getting sick on the bus would cause the bus to be out of commission until is cleaned, which would delay the entire system and prevent any other students who wish to use it.
The board realizes there are few alternative means of getting home and the bus is a better option than driving intoxicated, especially in dangerous weather conditions such as ice. Many students have nights when they may have had too much to drink and the nighttime door-to-door is not always reliable, but students need to hold themselves accountable for their own safety. Despite the lack of alternative means of transportation, riding the Miami Metro is a service, not a right. If students want to use the bus it is their responsibility to be in control of themselves and not cause distractions or disruptions to the driver or other patrons.
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