School buses shuttle golf spectators

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By Kurt Allemeier | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 9:50 PM CDT | () comments

Shuttle buses and a passenger tram pass each other on the grounds of TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL. during the 2008 John Deere Classic. (John Schultz/QUAD-CITY TIMES) Buy this Photo

SILVIS, Ill. — One of the biggest changes that golf fans will see at this year’s John Deere Classic also is the first thing they will see — even before they get to the course.

The shuttles that fans will take to the TPC Deere Run will be the same buses that area schoolchildren take every day during the school year.

In years past, golf fans rode from satellite parking areas in MetroLink buses. In May, a Federal Transportation Administration ruling that prohibits publicly subsidized transit systems from offering charter services forced the MetroLink board to opt out of the contracted shuttle service to and from the TPC Deere Run.

Tournament organizers contracted with First Student, a school bus company with an office in Davenport, to provide shuttle service.

Tournament director Clair Peterson said Wednesday he wanted to find a local company to handle the shuttle service and did that with First Student. The company is using 50 buses and will log 40,000 miles of JDC shuttle service.

For Wednesday’s Pro-Am, shuttle use was lighter than it will be for today’s opening round, but some passengers didn’t seem to mind the change.

Adam and Kris Lorenz, of Coal Valley, Ill., went to the tournament with their sons Alex, 10, and Colin, 13, and noticed an advantage to the school buses.

“It was nice to sit down,” Kris Lorenz said. “On MetroLink, you always ended up standing up.”

A downside may be that the buses aren’t air conditioned as the MetroLink buses were. That may make a difference as temperatures hit the mid-80s today and perhaps as much as the mid-90s on Friday.

“It is a lot different,” Tom Schoo, of Davenport, said as he stepped off a bus. “It is a nice day, so it wasn’t bad. When it warms up, I’m sure people will be complaining.”

But Connie and Niel Rissler, of LeClaire, Iowa, noticed all the windows on their bus were down, making for a comfortable ride, they said.

Although the buses aren’t air conditioned, Peterson said, neither is the golf course. People will just have to wait a little longer to cool off, in their cars or at home.

“We like being able to provide a free shuttle service, especially from Iowa, when gas is $4 a gallon,” Peterson said. “Everyone, myself included, would like an air-conditioned vehicle, but when the federal government stepped in and told us we couldn’t do what we’ve historically done” the JDC had to find another solution.

Kurt Allemeier can be contacted

at (563) 383-2360 or kallemeier@qctimes.com.

Shuttle buses

There is no spectator parking at Deere Run, but shuttle buses will take fans to the main gate from four remote locations from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

- Bettendorf High School, 3333 18th St., Bettendorf (public)

- Quad-City Downs, East Moline (public)

- Rock Island County Fairgrounds, Archer Avenue and Avenue of the Cities, East Moline (VIP)