The Late Night Ride Service is marking its two-year birthday with hopes of expanding its service because of increased use.

“We’re busier, busy beyond belief,” Michael Cassman, founder of the service said. “We haven’t done any ads this semester but there’s still a lot of demand for it.”

Service Director William Black said that over the last two years, the ride service has provided free transportation to about 515 people.

Black said average ridership is about 75 people each weekend, or about 25 people a night.

“Thursday nights are a little lighter and Saturday nights are a little heavier,” he said.

“Before spring break, there is a high peak ridership. The weekend before spring break, we had 153 riders. This has happened for the last two years,” Black said.

He said more people are using the service “because it’s just more popular. More people realize that the service is available.”

Cassman and Black said they are considering expanding the service to include Sunday through Wednesday.

“Expansion is just in the planning stages. We won’t be officially expanding,” Black said.

e said proof of an increased demand for the service and employees’ willingness to work the extra hours—2 a.m. to 6 a.m.—during the week are needed to expand the service.

The service has nine drivers who are also dispatchers, Black said. Drivers use NIU vehicles, one from the Department of Public Transportation and the others are rented from NIU transportation.

Drivers and dispatchers can refuse a caller only when there is a concern for the driver’s safety, Black said.

“The reason for the late night ride service is not intended as a taxi service—it is to provide safe, reliable transportation and a safe trip,” he said.

If the caller or rider is verbally or physically abusive or does not belong to the NIU community, they can be refused, Black said. However, “we don’t turn anyone down normally,” he said.

The ride service is free to NIU students and faculty, who must show identification to use the service. Rides are offered Thursday through Saturday from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Black said service is limited to the area enclosed by Bethany Road, the east-west tollway, the East Access Road and Stadium Drive West. He said most calls come from the Greek Row area and the residence halls.