Drivers, students call for increased number of Safe Ride shifts

View+of+a+Safe+Ride+driver%E2%80%99s+car+from+the+passenger+seat+showing+the+car%E2%80%99s+dashboard+and+the+driver%E2%80%99s+view+of+the+Safe+Ride+app.

Zoey Soh/The Daily Northwestern

Safe Ride provides students with free and safe mode of transport at night. Drivers express hopes for more Safe Ride shifts.

Zoey Soh, Assistant Data Visualisations Editor

Some students face competition trying to get a Safe Ride on late nights. 

But inside the car, some drivers say they are struggling to get shifts at all.

Northwestern’s Safe Ride service began partnering with TransitTech software provider Via in 2019 to provide students with free and safe transportation at night. Rides completed nightly have increased by 60% since the partnership began, according to University spokespeople.

Some Safe Ride drivers prefer working for the service over companies like Uber because they are paid hourly, rather than for each ride. 

Driver Joe Powell has been working for Safe Ride for two years. In addition to the consistent pay, he said he enjoys the range drivers operate in.

“Driving for Safe Ride is actually perfect,” Powell said. “The best part about it is it’s a small area, so it’s safe for me to drive in (the coverage area) at night.”

Though Powell enjoys working for Safe Ride, he said it’s sometimes difficult to find shifts.

According to a University spokesperson, drivers sign up for shifts through Via.

“There’s times when I would like to work, but I can’t because there’s no available slots.” Powell said. “It’s almost like fighting for shifts.”

While Powell also works for other rideshare and delivery services like DoorDash, Safe Ride is the only source of income for some drivers, like Elmo Elyoussoufi.

Elyoussoufi also said he hopes to see an increase in Safe Ride shifts available. Not only would this result in increased income and less competition, it would also make it easier for drivers to take breaks, he said. 

“Sometimes in the list, I have seven to eight students,” said Elyoussoufi. “I’m meant to finish the list, then I get (a) break.”

Elyoussoufi said he has worked for up to two to three hours nonstop before having a 30 minute break.

According to Via, there are currently up to 10 drivers working for Safe Ride each night. The number of drivers and shifts change according to rider demand, Via told The Daily in an email. The number of rides has varied from 732 to 2,606 per week so far this academic year, due to events and changes in weather. There can be as many as 645 rides per day.

Some students are also hoping for an increase in Safe Ride services. 

Weinberg sophomore Defne Deda said she uses Safe Ride once or twice a week when returning from the library or a friend’s dormitory. 

Safe Ride’s 2022 survey reported that getting to and from campus locations and social activities made up 76% of students’ most frequent use of the program.

Deda said taking a Safe Ride back to her dormitory often means she is able to avoid the cold and long walks at night. 

“Overall, it’s been a good experience,” said Deda. “But I feel like it’s sometimes hard to get rides when you want because it’s really busy.” 

She often waits 20 to 50 minutes for Safe Rides and has to plan rides an hour in advance if she wants to arrive at her destination on time. Deda said she wants to see an increase in driver availability. 

But, Deda also added that she’s had pleasant experiences with Safe Ride drivers and has developed a friendship with one driver. 

“I love Zab, he’s the king,” she said.

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @zzoeysoh

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