SafeRide returns after pilot program launch

The Indiana University Student Association’s SafeRide program has returned for the fall semester after launching a pilot program last spring.

The initiative, which began just in time for Little 500 festivities last year, provides safe transportation for students from any location on campus to their university-registered addresses. A SafeRide car is available for students from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

The program could benefit the campus by increasing overall safety and aid in preventing sexual assault, robbery or becoming stranded in poor weather conditions, according to the IUSA Saferide website.

IUSA evaluated the pilot program at the end of April to determine in what situations students would most use the service and at what times call traffic would be highest.
These evaluations continued through the summer when the service did not receive many calls, Rishi Sethia, IUSA’s director of SafeRide, said in an email.

“Summer ridership was low, so we cut back operations slightly,” Sethia said. “However, for the fall semester, SafeRide is in full service, and we expect that ridership will increase.”

SafeRide will give rides to drunk students, unlike IU’s Safety Escort service, which provides transportation for students as an alternative to walking home alone at night.

Sethia said the initiative aims to improve campus safety by providing an alternative way home for students who have exhausted safer options.

“Instead of walking late at night, driving while intoxicated or waiting for a cab, students will be able to call an IU-sponsored service and get a free ride home,” he said.

The program is run by IU’s Motor Pool, which manages all official IU vehicles on campus. Last year’s pilot program, which ran during the month of April, consumed $834 of IUSA’s $59,153 budget.

Kelsey Timmer, one of two student directors of Safety Escort, said the two programs
combined employ 16 students, about 12 of whom are drivers. Drivers must be at least 20 years old.

Hired based on applications received at the IU part-time job fair in the fall, students must undergo training, background and driving checks after their interviews.

“We had someone from IUPD come talk to us about situations that might arise while working at SafeRide and when to call an ambulance for someone who has been drinking,” Timmer said.

Timmer said SafeRide has one car out each night, and each driver is paired with a navigator to add extra security. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes from when a student calls the SafeRide number to when a driver reaches the student.

Although the initiative provides safe transportation in any situation, Sethia said students should consider SafeRide only when in critical situations, as a last resort before calling 911.

To learn more about the program and the rules of SafeRide, visit the IUSA website at iusa.indiana.edu/saferide.

Follow reporter Holly Hays on Twitter @hv_hays.