It’s 12:38 in the morning, and “You Give Love a Bad Name” is blaring through the speakers while cameras flash in and out of my peripheral vision. As Bon Jovi’s ever-popular song blares, the 70-plus people on the bus take notice and for the next 30 seconds, they’re his biggest fans.
Along with the music, laughter and obscenities ring through the 35-foot-long space. The scene may not look like a typical workday, but for one of our fellow Dukes it’s just another day on the job.
The studious among you may know him as just a guy in your marketing class.
But for those of you who enjoy your weekends – especially the social hours between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays – you probably think of him as the “the guy with the afro.”
And then there are those of you who actually know him as Westley Kern, JMU student, senior marketing major and Harrisonburg Department Public Transportation bus driver.
Working between 37 to 43 hours per week, Kern, who has earned quite the reputation on campus because of his Friday night ‘fro, spends many of his evening hours transporting students and Harrisonburg residents to and from their desired destinations.
Kern first started working with HDPT in August, 2006. He has worked each semester since attending JMU and at the end of his sophomore year was looking for a new job.
After seeing a student driving one of the buses through campus one day, Kern decided to look into working for HDPT.
Just 24 hours after turning in his application, Kern was offered the job and has been working there since.
“[Route] 13 was my route when I first started,” said Kern, who now drives multiple evening routes throughout the week.
Kern described his driving time as his way of unwinding at the end of the day. “I get to relax; I can get in my zone.”
Before driving one of the infamous “drunk buses” on the weekends and becoming known as the “dude with the fro,” Kern began his weekends driving Route C.
“Once I started working the night shift I thought, ‘Wow this is really cool, I would like to continue with this,’” Kern said.
Being underage at the time, Kern also said he was usually the designated driver for his friends and remembers thinking, “Well shoot if I can get paid doing this, I’ll be more than willing.”
Although Kern had somewhat of an idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed to drive one of the late routes on the weekends, he described the experience as “an eye opener.”
“I drove Route X the first night I was by myself. It was incredible that first night, but it was crazy,” Kern said.
There are usually 70 to 80 people on the buses at a time, according to Kern, and he said,
“You just have to crank the music and roll with it.”
Although Kern has a small number of memories he would rather forget while he’s been on the clock, most of his stories are of experiences that make his job exciting and enjoyable.
“I remember one night during my first year of driving when a girl came up to me and told me to pull over, set the parking break, go party and then head home with her,” Kern recalled. “As tempted as I was, I told her that I was needed out here.”
Kern even enjoys the occasional dance show while driving.
“You know those poles?” Kern asked, “Well one night two ladies were just going to town on those things and the clothes just started coming off. It was rather entertaining.”
Although, Kern has only been with HDPT for two years, he is now considering working for a larger transit system after he graduates. “I get to meet a variety of people and hear about their different experiences. I really like that.”
