While still in its first year, the RIDE campus shuttle program is busy adjusting its services to accommodate student feedback on the shortcomings of the system. According to Marcello Curridori, the transportation service manager, RIDE as a multifaceted department has been working smoothly thus far but will be implementing some small changes in response to recent discussions with the WSA.
Within the next two weeks, the department will order stickers with the RIDE and Public Safety extensions to be placed on all blue light phones around campus. It will also place maps of the van route on each designated RIDE stop sign.
The third change involves moving the Science Center stop. It will now be closer to the blue light phone located at the rear entrance for student’s safety and convenience, according to Curridori.
In a campus-wide e-mail Thursday, Curridori informed the student body of the adjustments and reiterated that important features will remain the same—the van will continue to circulate 7 days a week while classes are in session, from 7:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. For an escort after 4:00 a.m. students are encouraged to call Public Safety at extension 2345. There is also a special shuttle service for students with disabilities or who live off campus that can be reached at extension 3788.
Originally, RIDE was introduced to replace the shuttle system, which students and staff claimed was being abused for its convenience. It is also a way to consolidate campus transportation systems to schedule vans for athletes, community service groups like Upward Bound or students attending conferences, Curridori said.
“I think it’s much better now,” Curridori said, comparing RIDE to the previous shuttle system. “Before you had to call through to the dispatcher and had to wait because things were discouraged. We’ve effectively cut out the middle man so that now is better organized.”
He added that a van should make rounds every 15 to 20 minutes and that if it takes longer than that, students can be put through to the cell phone of the driver to ask how long the wait will be or why it is taking so long.
Elaine Garven ’05, Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Chair, was one of the students who discussed the changes with Curridori. She said that the primary concerns held by WSA members related to how helpful the system was in securing student safety.
“Our concern was that not all areas of campus are well lit and that not everyone is comfortable walking alone at night,” Garven said.
She added that even though Curridori and others were worried about the possibility of students abusing the special shuttle, it is important to keep it running as long as students use it for safety and not comfort.
Not all students agree about the effectiveness of RIDE thus far.
“I love RIDE system, said Jennifer Melillo ’05. ”A lot of my friends use it and they say it works really well.“
On the contrary, Alex Moore ’05 said that she was unhappy with the service.
”They stop at all these places and there’s never anybody at these stops,“ she said. ”Occasionally they pick you up and drop you off directly, but not always.“
Moore is a studio art major and often uses RIDE to travel back and forth between the CFA and her house.
”The WSA recommendations about the maps and stickers were very helpful,“ said Curridori. He added that it is important that students know exactly how the system works.
Leave a Reply