Concerns over the availability of security escort vans during late-night peak hours, especially during adverse weather conditions, have prompted the Security Escort Shuttle Service to consider appeasing students' calls for more shuttles, more timely operations and courteous service.
Security employs seven vans for this purpose on a daily basis: Four follow a specified route, and three are available for on-demand service. Excess demand for the shuttle service over the weekend prompted Security to also hire two shuttles over these peak periods. Their goal is to have a shuttle to a student's location within 20 minutes of a request.
George Kilber, director of operations for the Escort Service, said that the high level of use in comparison with that of past years has led to the shuttle's success this year. He attributed whatever successes the escortservice has seen this year to the way it currently set up. The structure of the escort van service this year was determined by an evaluation of past service methods, including discussion with representatives of student council, the administration and faculty, about a year ago.
However, he acknowledged a need for increased expansion of the service.
"We are interested in expanding the role of the contractual service provider in the near future in order to keep up with student demand, especially during late at night on weekends," he said.
Students have had mixed reactions to the shuttle service this year.
"This semester it's been pretty timely. I've been impressed. Most of the time, though, the drivers scare me -- they drive too fast and never seem to know where they are going. The operators have been pretty rude, occasionally leaving me on hold for over five minutes," senior Kara Pappas, who uses the shuttle route to get home at night, said.
A number of students have also raised complaints over long waits for the shuttle service, especially during peak times and poor weather. Students' experiences, especially during rain, vary considerably.
"I have experienced up to a two-hour wait late at night in the rain," one anonymous sophomore, who opted to walk to his destination instead of wait for the shuttle, said.
Kilber was in no way surprised by the extra wait during adverse weather, stating that during such times, demand rapidly increases and traffic worsens, making congestion in the Homewood area a problem.
"Extra vans would not dramatically improve service in these conditions. We would only be adding to the traffic dilemma already existing," Kilber said.
Based on past experiences, he said that the shuttle service has been managed very well this year, except when weather and traffic conditions become a challenge to the drivers.
Even so, Kilber is looking for ways to improve the service, considering anything from taking down students' cell numbers to notify them of a late-running shuttle, to GPS tracking devices in each shuttle for students to follow online.
"It is envisioned that one day all our vehicles will be GPS tracked, thus enabling dispatchers and even students via their lap-tops to see exactly where the assigned van is currently [located] and providing relief for those waiting," he said.
They currently have a number of computer science graduate students working on this project.
Students reported that until these new ideas are implemented, schedules posted more visibly around school or on the Internet would be most beneficial and helpful.
A number of students have also expressed an amount of disappointment with the scheduling of the shuttle service.
"Routes are useless. I don't feel like they work really well -- once they're behind, they always seem to stay behind," sophomore Colin Ray said.
"The route usually doesn't correspond to my needs," sophomore Robert Dewan said.
He thinks that it would more be beneficial to the Hopkins community to have all security shuttle vans, or at least the majority of them, on call to students at all times.
