Forty students have used Safe Ride since Jan. 21, Director of Safety and Security and College Proctor Harry Kinne said in an interview with The Dartmouth. The service began Jan. 14, The Dartmouth previously reported.
The students who utilized the shuttle "varied widely in gender and year," according to Brookes.
Of the 50 students interviewed by The Dartmouth, 21 had not heard of the Safe Ride program. Twelve of the students who said they had heard of the program said they were unsure how it differed from requesting rides from Safety and Security, which students were able to do in the past.
"Honestly, I don't know the difference between Safe Ride and Safety and Security," Anna Leah Berstein-Simpson '13 said.
Safe Ride differs from Safety and Security's previous escort service due to its guaranteed availability, according to Kinne. Previously, if Safety and Security was too busy, students would have to wait up to half an hour to be picked up by an officer, or might not have received a ride at all, he said.
Student drivers must complete the College's Driver Safety Training Program, but do not receive training in issues specific to sexual assault, Kinne said.
"We would hope that anyone who is a victim of sexual assault would contact Safety and Security and we would help them," he said. "[Safe Ride] is really a transportation program."
Six female students interviewed by The Dartmouth said that when they were intoxicated, the possibility of assault did not pose a significant concern.
"I've never been afraid," Julia Szafman '13 said. "It would never have crossed my mind."
Students that are intoxicated might feel more comfortable calling for a ride now that the shuttle is driven by students, Chris Munoz '12, a Safe Rides driver, said.
"There may be less fear if a student is driving rather than a [Safety and Security] officer," Munoz said.
Student drivers are instructed to place Good Samaritan calls for individuals who appear dangerously intoxicated, Matt Pickart '13, a Safe Rides driver, said.
"I could see [the possibility of a Good Sam call] as a slight deterrent, but I think most people who will use this service are coming from A-Lot or are Dartmouth staff," Munoz said. "I don't think it will be used as much when people are drunk I don't think when you're drunk you're thinking about calling [Safety and Security] at all."
Allison Lure '11, who said she used Safe Ride to get picked up from A-Lot to escape the cold on Tuesday, Jan. 25 around 10:15 p.m., said she was picked up within 10 minutes.
All students who said they were aware of Safe Ride mentioned that students would likely use the service to avoid walking in the cold.
Students can request a ride using the regular Safety and Security phone number, Kinne said. Rather than following a scheduled route, the shuttle will pick up individual students and drive them directly to their destinations, he said. Kinne also said callers must be the only person intending to ride.
"What we don't want is five people piling in because they don't want to walk," he said.
If it is convenient to pick up additional lone students who need rides while en route to the first student's destination, the driver may decide whether to transport more than one individual at a time, according to Kinne. The Dean of the College's Office is responsible for publicizing the program, although Safety and Security might request additional publicity if it believes that students are not utilizing the service, Kinne said.
Rick D'Amato '13 said that the College has not informed students of the shuttle's details.
"They've made a big deal about it, but there's been no real info," he said.
Several students expressed support for the existence of a shuttle at the College but questioned the logistics of its planned implementation.
"It's a good idea, but I don't know if it's practical," Alex Yerukhimov '14 said.
Kinne said that Safe Ride's only costs are student labor and the single vehicle's lease, though he said he did not have specific figures.
"Considering the hours we are running, it is an efficient use of College resources," he said.
An anonymous donor provided the funds for Safe Ride and the other sexual assault prevention initiatives, The Dartmouth previously reported. The total cost of the Safe Ride program has not yet been determined.
All other Ivy League schools except for Columbia run nighttime shuttles with regularly scheduled routes and stops, according to the universities' websites. Columbia offers a "point to point" service from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., according to its website.
Staff writer Stephen Kirkpatrick contributed to the reporting of this article.
