Shivering in front of the dorm building one day, I ask freshman Chris Byrd why he has to wear that red, yellow and blue jersey.
“Cause otherwise some people might think we’re kids in a golf cart,” he replies.
As the writing on his jersey explicitly states, Byrd is working for Night Owls, a service of Student Government that transports students across the entire MacArthur campus. Despite the chilly weather outside, Byrd simply puts on a pair of black gloves, steps on the accelerator of the electric golf cart, and drives into the night.
“It’s sort of like the postal service,” Byrd jokes. “The only thing that will stop us is a tornado.”
Freshman Sean Perry, another Night Owls member, actually revels in fighting Mother Nature’s torrents, whether he’s facing wild storms (“Mud puddles are fun to drive through, and rain feels good,” he says) or against the Jupiter wildlife.
“Me and my friend Glenn got chased by a gargantuan, vicious, bloodthirsty golden Labrador,” Perry says. “We proved our valor and fled like small children from a playful dog.”
While Perry gets a high from the perils of nature, Austin Boyle, a sophomore, takes pleasure in his job’s humanitarian aspect.
“I enjoy seeing lots of people,” Boyle says, “and helping students carry their groceries and stuff from the parking lot all the way to the dorms.”
Unfortunately, the Night Owls only go around campus, as the carts are not legally allowed off campus, preventing students from receiving transport to the nearby movie theater or parking lot.
“My only real problem with Night Owls is that we aren’t allowed to drive people across the street to go to the parking lot,” Perry says, adding that a cart ride would offer better protection against robberies. Byrd noted, however, that the vehicles are not equipped with proper lighting for road travel, or a fast enough speed.
Byrd believes, however, that Night Owls acts as a deterrent against crime on campus.
“Basically, you ride around, and ask people if they want a ride,” he says. “Even if they say ‘no,’ you look around to make sure they’re all right. When no one’s around, we drive around, making sure there’s no one doing anything bad. We sort of help the cops.”
There are still some problems with the rides. When Boyle drove me from my late-night chemistry class back to the dorms, I noticed all my classmates (who left at the same time I had) arrived at the dorms the same time I did, if not sooner. I jokingly said to Boyle, “I could have gotten back here quicker if I’d walked.”
He responded, “You wouldn’t have had as good of a time if you walked.”
I couldn’t argue against that.
Night Owls service is available to all students on the MacArthur Campus. Popular among both commuter students and Honors College students, it is a great way to get to your car or dorm after a late-night class. Students and visitors can call 561-512-0150 for a ride Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. to 1 p.m.
