MUNCIE, INDIANA - After Bus Operations gutted TransLoc bus tracking, BSnUws received word that the buses now run on "thoughts and prayers". Instead of using TransLoc to locate where the nearest bus is and which direction its headed, students now have to pray to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for a bus to arrive "between 20 minutes and 20 hours".
It's unclear how Christ distributes buses to students and how he distributes the right one. Some students who've prayed for the Red Loop have received the Blue Loop, and some who've prayed for the Purple Loop have received a Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) bus going off campus instead. We spoke with a pastor at a nearby church, who said that we "get what we get" and we "can't control his plan for us, even if we think we need something else".
A member of the BSnUws legal team has questioned the constitutionality of relying on prayer for a bus. "What about those who follow other religions? What about those who don't follow a religion at all? Relying on prayer for a bus that might not even be the one you want is not only critically unreliable as compared to TransLoc, but may also be in violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. We can't sue, though; we're broke college students."
Religious bigotry on campus has been more than a bus issue, however. During the first week of school, the BSnUws founder has been pressured by a religious organization to fill out a survey for a chance to win $250. When she firmly said no and insisted she wasn't interested, she was blocked and prevented from leaving until she filled the survey out.
A BSnUws correspondent has been testing the new "pray for a bus" system herself, waiting outside North Dining yesterday at noon for the Red Loop. To this day, our correspondent continues to wait and pray for that bus.
No word or statement has been released from Bus Operations to the Ball State student body on why TransLoc was removed, however some students have allegedly got in contact with the office and have received word that it was due to "budget cuts", despite the increase in tuition cost.
A petition from Trans People for TransLoc has been circulating YikYak, and anyone can sign it at https://tinyurl.com/bringbacktransloc. Since its debut 3 days ago, it has received 290 signatures. Trans People for TransLoc has reportedly tried reaching Bus Operations, however their email has been flagged as spam.
Even religious students are not liking the prayer-based bus system, one asking if "this is a joke". "Having to pray for a bus is blasphemous and a mockery of my religion."
When BSnUws emailed Bus Operations to inquire on the "pray for a bus" system, our email bounced as spam. Only time will tell when TransLoc will be reinstated, but you can sign the petition today at https://tinyurl.com/bringbacktransloc.