I feel so much safer now that Sabrina is on the case. A bus that brings me to a bar is interested in taking my money. Holy fucking Pulitzer.

i'd rather be on a spanish party bus from queens than be around dirty sweaty hipsters going apeshit.

I want to call in a missile strike on this bus.

dropping you off at your outdoor drinking destination (the cemetery was always a good bet)

the cemetary? what the fuck?

"Remember the van that drove around your college town at night, picking up alcohol-warmed students and their bottles of Old English, ostensibly protecting women from threats in the bushes? "

No.

With all the potholes that can't be fun.

Well I read the article (although it was buried pretty deep) and it seems it is indeed free. I am a bit confused by the sponsor's concept of it making money. "the bus rental costs about $500 a night, and pays for itself as long as it brings in 50 people who spend at least $10 on drinks or food." OK so that total comes to $500. How does the owner see any return on that kind of math? Doesn't he have rent, taxes, personnel, food and beverage costs?

How about insurance costs? How much do you think Geico is going to ask for coverage on a "drunk bus"?

The bar wouldn't have to insure it; that'd be covered in the $500/day.

A comment to a newspaper reporter isn't necessarily the real background to a business decision, but still... a nearly empty bar loses money. Rent, electricity, staffing, all kinds of fixed costs will be paid anyway. Even if he breaks even bringing 50 people in, there are two benefits: empty bars stay empty; crowds having fun draw people in. And spending money on introducing new customers to a place is expected to result in some of them coming back on their own.

It's the same idea as behind bars doing things like sponsoring pool or softball teams. Bring new people in, and bring some people in on a slow night.

And very few people actually do spend less than $10 in a NYC bar.

So how much does it cost?

1) its free

2) @gothamist, the knot has been doing this since mid-january. you are a bit late to jump on the bandwagon (haha, get it)

If you have to ask...

...you didn't read the article.

Well if a six pack of Bud tall boys cost $12 and a round trip on the subway costs $4.50. I would say $20 including tip. Am I right?

12$ for tall boys!? your deli man is beatin up on you

I thought those drunk college buses were to stop people driving drunk, not to protect the ladies.

"picking up alcohol-warmed students and their bottles of Old English, under the auspices of protecting women from threats in the bushes?"

Today's vocabulary lesson:

auspice: plural : kindly patronage and guidance

Here's a good word to learn:

ostensibly : to all outward appearances

See, now suddenly the sentence does make sense.

You're welcome.

NY in the 70s and 80's? WTF? My bus back then was the 2 train.