“Partially Insured, Completely Fun!” Campaign fails to stem 97% drop in Ridership
Ridership has dropped off catastrophically with the Doswell Glass-bottom Bus tour, according to driver Madge Watkins.
“It must be the economy, because it stinks.” Gripes Watson, who took over as driver after the abrupt resignation of the previous driver and founder of the tour, Bradley Rickover. Watson says the tour is embarking on a strong advertising campaign to raise awareness of the tour. “Our only real hope is that the recently approved stimulus package in Washington has some money for our glass-bottom bus tour.’” says Watkins, who also drives the Doswell church bus.
The bus is a specially-fitted 1957 Ford, with the center floor replaced with a 2”-thick sheet of unbreakable clear polycarbonate. The tour has been in service since 1986, with ridership at an all-time high in 1990 due to an agreement with Kings Dominion to carry guests from the Motel and campground to the front gate.
“People may laugh at the idea of a glass-bottom bus, but let me tell you there is no better way to see the town of Doswell than through the floor of a bus” says long-time rider Ward Draper, who frequently uses the tour to travel to his new job as gift shop proprietor of the Doswell Rock Quarry. “I have seen things through the floor of that bus that no man should see, and I mean that in a good way.”
Barring a last-minute reprieve from President Obama’s stimulus package, Watkins predicts the service may stop as soon as 5 pm today. “It is the end of an era.” She laments before yelling at her 10-yr-old son Chad to take the family cat’s head out of his mouth.
Ridership has dropped off catastrophically with the Doswell Glass-bottom Bus tour, according to driver Madge Watkins.
“It must be the economy, because it stinks.” Gripes Watson, who took over as driver after the abrupt resignation of the previous driver and founder of the tour, Bradley Rickover. Watson says the tour is embarking on a strong advertising campaign to raise awareness of the tour. “Our only real hope is that the recently approved stimulus package in Washington has some money for our glass-bottom bus tour.’” says Watkins, who also drives the Doswell church bus.
The bus is a specially-fitted 1957 Ford, with the center floor replaced with a 2”-thick sheet of unbreakable clear polycarbonate. The tour has been in service since 1986, with ridership at an all-time high in 1990 due to an agreement with Kings Dominion to carry guests from the Motel and campground to the front gate.
“People may laugh at the idea of a glass-bottom bus, but let me tell you there is no better way to see the town of Doswell than through the floor of a bus” says long-time rider Ward Draper, who frequently uses the tour to travel to his new job as gift shop proprietor of the Doswell Rock Quarry. “I have seen things through the floor of that bus that no man should see, and I mean that in a good way.”
Barring a last-minute reprieve from President Obama’s stimulus package, Watkins predicts the service may stop as soon as 5 pm today. “It is the end of an era.” She laments before yelling at her 10-yr-old son Chad to take the family cat’s head out of his mouth.
