Beginning in January, the TANK River Run has been chauffeuring students to local hot-spots. Over 100 students showed up to use the service on opening day.

Since then, the program has been growing steadily. By the week of Valentine’s Day, TANK had a strong 59 students jumping aboard on Saturday night.

The TANK program has been a year in the making. Gina Douthat, the Director of Communications and Development for TANK, is optimistic about the service. “We’ve never done a program geared toward college students,” she says. “It would be great to go out with friends and not worry about who’s going to drive home.” Douthat states this is an experimental project that will be tested until Spring of 2003. The project itself is costing TANK $158,000 and students only $1.

The bus stops at the NKU Residential Village and proceeds to Riverboat Row, 3rd Street at Newport on the Levee and continues passage from Covington Landing to Mainstrasse Village. Depending on your preference, you can see a movie at AMC theaters on the Levee, put on your kilt for a pint of Guiness at Jack Quinns or bump and grind at the Waterfront dance club, all for less than what one would spend in gas and parking.

Beginning March 1, there will be a $3 option when riding. Patrons will have their hand stamped and be able to ride to all destinations between 6p.m. and 2 a.m. The service will be extended to the Southbank Shuttle service to Cincinnati for those interested in catching a play at the Aronoff or carousing Main Street.

SGA President Katie Herschede says, “The mantra of this project is work, play, safety.” She stresses that one of the primary goals of this project is to promote a vibrant campus life. Students living on campus, without transportation, now have the opportunity to go places inexpensively. Herschede adds, “This will also promote a sense of community among students, which will help the retention rates of the college for successful students.”

Herschede said her sisterhood went to a movie at the AMC on the Levee and met no complications. “We waited a total of five minutes either way and a big group of us were able to ride together easily,”she said. She insists this is a, “win-win” situation for on and off campus students, as well as residents of the surrounding area.

Raising awareness for the program seems paramount for keeping this convenience on campus. Let’s keep money in our pockets and leave the driving to someone else. Toast the Tank. The River Run operates Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6p.m. to 2 a.m.