The following was written for the Boston Herald by Sean L. McCarthy on May 20, 2006.

A moveable fest: Bustonian Party bus takes on Boston

It’s not often you find yourself on a pink bus, riding along with 18 women and a cooler full of booze.

Unless you’re on the Miss Bustonian party bus.

On a recent Saturday night, the bus rolls from Boston to Somerville to meet up with a bachelorette party.

Matt Robitaille, who started the company with longtime friend Brian Napoleon three years ago, is the night’s driver. Robitaille arrives about 15 minutes early and parks the bus around the corner from the party. Time for a quick window cleaning and systems check, including a hookup of his iPod to the bus stereo system.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” Robitaille said. Preparty phone reservations don’t always indicate how rowdy the party will be.

This time, the bus pulls up to find all of the women ready and waiting on the sidewalk. Dance moves are displayed. The partying for Ashland bride-to-be Crystal Reardon started before we arrived.

A Boston party bus was Christine Griffin’s idea.

Griffin, 25, of Medford had been on a similar party shuttle while on vacation in Aruba. “That (was) awesome,” she said. “We originally wanted to do this for Colleen’s birthday, but the dates weren’t right.”

Reardon announces: “I’m wearing white!”

The women pile into the party tour bus shortly after 9 p.m., hauling extra accessories and a cooler filled with booze and a high-octane rum punch.

“Are you ready?” Jamie Napolitano, 26, of Watertown asks the driver.

“Are you ready?” he replies.

“I was born ready!” Napolitano says.

9:11 p.m. Robitaille restarts the engine and cues up the Bustonian's jingle and theme song, “Hop on the Bus.” Time to head into Boston for a night on the town. Women dance and drink toward the back of the bus to a mix of hip-hop and dance tunes.

9:34 p.m. Pedestrians stop on the sidewalk to stare as the bus rolls through Boston’s Theatre District. Another bachelorette party even pauses and its bride-to-be dances along with the music that blares out of the bus windows.

9:45 p.m. The Bustonian rounds the corner onto Lansdowne Street. Robitaille exits first so he can talk with the bouncer, pointing out who is part of the party and can bypass both the line and the cover charge.

That’s part of the charm of this kind of party, Reardon said. No worries. Everything is taken care of.

Inside the club, the party breaks into small groups, then reunites near the stage of dueling pianists. The women get Reardon onstage for a song in her honor, although they have to wait a bit for the other bachelorette and birthday parties in the crowd.

11 p.m. Trying to leave Lansdowne Street. Some guys want on the bus. No dice.

Instead, the bus makes a detour back to Somerville to drop off three of the women. Boston Party buses will make unannounced stops, but usually it’s to pick up more alcohol. This time, the bride’s mother and two other women have to get home.