Taxicab companies around Central Michigan University had a busy and wild weekend, as CMU students partied alongside rivals from Western Michigan University.
"We took 100 calls every 30 minutes," said Darla Ball, owner of Mt. Pleasant Cab.
The company sent out all 15 of its vehicles to help service the influx of visitors.
"We ran our full load from 8:30 in the morning (Saturday) until about 4 o'clock (Sunday)," Ball said.
Mt. Pleasant Cab's drivers were part of the party as well. One driver over the weekend received a tip for his services in the form of 24 bare breasts.
"We had some crazy shenanigans going on, that's for sure," Ball said.
The amount of calls also led to a change in strategy for Mt. Pleasant Cab.
"Instead of picking up people at their address and calling them when we get there, we had them meet us at centralized locations," Ball said.
Other companies like Chippewa Cab ran similar game plans this weekend, with their entire fleet of vehicles on the road, and different routes for drivers.
"We're on demand," said Sharon Dille, bookkeeper for Chippewa Cab. "Any time the cab gets empty, [the driver] swings around to where students will be."
Hoops, a Mt. Pleasant cab service known for its decorated taxis, ran a pre-recorded message detailing their special Central/Western routes. Hoops regularly ran party hot spots like Wayside Central and apartment complexes like Tallgrass and Deerfield.
The cost of running cabs
Gas prices have changed the game for Mt. Pleasant cab companies, but not necessarily their prices.
Darla Ball of Mt. Pleasant Cab said they have managed to keep their rate at $3 a person for trips within the area.
"We just adjusted some things within the company so that we were able to keep the price to students the same as it was before," she said.
Chippewa Cab's rates went up in response to fuel costs, but bookkeeper Sharon Dille says they may change again if recent gas price lows are here to stay.
"If it stays down, we'll readjust," she said.
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