---
title: ‘Quite a Ride’
date: 2023-02-24T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/quite-a-ride"
section: Articles
---
# ‘Quite a Ride’

*February 24, 2023* — by [Annie Krakower](/author/annie-krakower)


> Looking Back at Shuttle-UM’s Beginnings as Service Celebrates 50th Anniversary

*Shuttle UM DOTS undated 091335 0007 1920x1080 — Shuttle-UM, shown here in a circa-1980s photo, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this academic year. The service evolved from an escort service run by the Black Student Union and Phi Beta Sigma to promote safety on campus.*

Terps seeking to feel safer returning home at night have options—hopping on an after-hours [Nite Ride](https://transportation.umd.edu/shuttle-um/nite-ride), picking up a [blue light phone to request a police auxiliary escort](http://www.umdps.umd.edu/services/escorts.cfm), or even pulling out their own phone to call a friend or an Uber.

Fifty years ago, though, it was just student Ben Gaither and other members of the Black Student Union (BSU) and the historically African American fraternity Phi Beta Sigma with their “raggedy cars” providing that service.

What they started transformed into the now-ubiquitous Shuttle-UM, with an annual ridership of over 3 million. The Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) is celebrating the golden anniversary of Shuttle-UM this spring with a temporary logo, commemorative pins and a Maryland Day celebration to honor the service’s miles-long path.

“It goes down to places that I never dreamt that it would go,” Gaither said. “It provides an excellent service to the campus community. It’s come a long way.”


*archival photo of mini-bus — Mini-bus from 1972 (Photo courtesy of The Diamondback archives)*


*archival photo of Shuttle-UM — Shuttle in 1979 (Photo courtesy of The Terrapin yearbook)*



**Sidebar note:**

This is one of a series of Maryland Today features during Black History Month celebrating Terp faculty, staff, students and alums.





**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)


**Tags:** [Transportation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/transportation), [Black History Month](https://today.umd.edu/topic/black-history-month), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)


**Units:** [Department of Transportation Services](https://today.umd.edu/topic/department-transportation-services)