Story by Elizabeth Robinson
Beginning on Thursday nights, and continuing through the weekend, it is common to see flocks of Drake University students making their way down the street toward Dublin Pub, located on the 2300 block of University Ave. Despite poor weather conditions, students continue to walk from all over campus to dance and drink at the campus hot spot.
In the past, the Dub Bus, a miniature school bus turned into a transport vehicle for the bar, could be seen on and around campus, picking up students from various locations and driving them to the bar. But last semester the Dub Bus was impounded, and since then, it has not been used.
On the evening of Nov. 29, the Dub Bus was stopped on campus for a seemingly minor offense, but the violations against the bus have made its return questionable.
The vehicle impound and recovery report issued by the Des Moines Police Department stated: “The above listed vehicle was stopped for the brakes lights not working in the 2400 block of University Ave. It was found that the driver was operating the vehicle without the proper class license and endorsements. The driver was issued two citations and released.” The bus was also reported to be in poor condition according to the report.
The fact that the driver did not have the correct class license and endorsements to drive the bus is the main concern regarding the bus’s return. Dan Notke, a Drake senior and bartender at Dublin, said the issue regarding the license and endorsements is still being worked out.
“A bus that size, you’re supposed to have a class D license, but it’s dependent on the number of seats is what their (the owners of Dublin) lawyer told them last year,” he said. “They’re trying to get that figured out.”
According to the Iowa DOT Drivers Manual there are three endorsements that allow a driver to operate using a Class D Non-Commercial Chauffer’s license, tractor-trailer combinations if a CDL farm exemption applies; single-unit vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 16,001 pounds or more up through a 26,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating; and passenger vehicles which carry less than 16 passengers, such as taxis.
Notke said, the owners are in the process of determining whether or not the Dub Bus falls under these endorsements and whether the bus will be coming back this semester.
“I’ve heard both sides,” Notke said. “I’ve heard some people that are higher up, not at Dublin, but at other bars I work at, I’ve heard we’re not getting it back, but I’ve heard we’re still working on it too.”
The absence of the Dub Bus could be seen as an inconvenience for students to attend Dublin, but according to Notke the bar was still “packed” during the first week of the semester despite the freezing temperatures. However, some students feel its absence does impact how many students will attend the bar.
“If it’s very cold out I would take the Dub Bus,” junior Clare Van Gemert said. “I think it does influence if people go there (Dublin) because the Dub Bus would come to Greek street and everyone would get on and because they transport people from Peggy’s to Dublin. I feel like not so many people would want to make the walk all the way from Peggy’s to Dublin.”
