The Aggie Spirit Bus is the best and the worst part of getting to classes at Texas A&M if you don’t have a parking pass. It does not take long to figure out the ins and outs of riding the Aggie Spirit, but if you still aren’t sure or just want a good laugh, here are some rules for riding the bus.
Rule 1: If you ride Bus 35, 36, 40, or 40S… Good Luck Charlie. But seriously, give yourself extra time. You can be in the middle of a perfect morning or afternoon, and then the train comes. Sometimes it takes five minutes to pass, and sometimes it stalls on the tracks… so if you don’t look forward to being ten or more minutes late to class like me, try to find an alternate bus route.
Rule 2: Sometimes you think the bus will wait for you when you’re waving at the bus driver frantically, running with your backpack swinging around and hot coffee spilling all over your shirt, but most of the time you’re wrong. And yes, I’m speaking from experience. With that being said, do yourself a favor and plan to leave ten minutes earlier, you’ll thank me later. Another word of advice along these lines, the bus gets full during the busier times and if there’s no room on the bus, it won’t stop, so don’t take it personally.
Rule 3: After 7, the buses only run every hour, so make sure you plan ahead if you’re on campus late or have a study group. The bus drivers are a little more lenient because they only come each hour but leave with plenty of time to catch the bus so you’re not stranded on campus for an hour or really late to your study group. Worst case scenario… you’re paying ten dollars for an Uber or Lyft just to get home.
Rule 4: If you have classes on West Campus, there’s a bunch of buses that will get you there. Unfortunately, most of them leave from the Main Campus. 35 is the only off-campus bus that will drop you at PEAP or Kleberg before heading on to Main Campus. But if you have classes on Main Campus before you need to get to West Campus, 01, 03, 05, and 08 will get you there. These routes usually leave from Beutel or Fish Pond, so add extra time to get to those stops so you get to class on time, but it’s definitely better than crossing Wellborn during heavy traffic.
Rule 5: Not every apartment complex and neighborhood has a bus stop close by. 26, 34, and 36 can be very useful if you’re in this situation. Thankfully, these bus routes have a public park nearby or a designated park and ride. 26 has a park on Anderson Street, and 36 has a park on Holleman. 34 has a park and ride at First Baptist Church on Welsh. If you have a car, but no bus stop nearby, use these routes!
Rule 6: Blinn is a great resource for A&M students or any student in the BCS area. The classes are inexpensive and a great fall back if the class at A&M fills up. If you don’t want to buy a parking pass or pay for parking by the hour, route 12 can get you there. The bus leaves from Trigon and drops off at Building E at the Bryan Campus and then you’re set! Same goes for the Rellis Campus. Bus 47 leaves from the MSC and drops off at Rellis. Both 12 and 47 are a longer ride, but it’s worth saving money on parking. Plus you’re not scrambling to find parking like these guys.
These rules aren’t foolproof, but they should help you get to class on time or find a ride home. If you really want to laugh, follow the Aggie Spirit Bus parody account on Twitter, @tamubusdriver12.