Students air Escort grievances at forum

Concerns ranging from the safety of pick-up points to the skill of van drivers were raised by graduate students and administrators at the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly's open forum on Escort Service last night. A push by graduate student leaders to have Escort expanded across the Schuylkill has brought some improvements, but those who attended the forum made it clear that while the changes are welcomed, there is still much more to be done. Associate Vice President for Business Services Steven Murray explained that while short-term steps have been taken, a task force-type effort will be fully examining the problems currently facing Escort Service. "[We will] take a look at what we're doing and how we can do it better," Murray told the group. "A short-term response lets us look at the overall system. [But] we can't be everything to everybody in the short run." The current shuttle only provides drop-off service east of the river, which bothers students who wish to return to the University after dark for academic and other purposes. "Once those of us who live east of the river go home, we're really stranded there," said first-year Law student David Perla. And GAPSA Chairperson Michael Goldstein said that he knows a number of students that live in Center City who leave campus at five and do not come back regardless of whether or not they have things to do here. "The van has to come back anyway," said first-year Wharton graduate student Kim Mounts. But while administrators promised to look into creating a pick-up point in Center City -- even taking a consensus suggestion that a central spot such as 23rd and Walnut Streets be utilized as a pick-up spot -- they did not seem to think that such action will be feasible. "A timetable for that is impossible for me to even fathom," Assistant Director of Transportation and Parking Stephen Carey, said, explaining that the vans have to be back at scheduled pick-up points within an hour. Students also expressed concerns about the safety of the various pick-up points on campus, especially the one at 34th and Chestnut Streets which primarily serves the Law School. "[The shuttle] doesn't add a service to the Law students," Perla said. "It's still not safe to wait for the shuttle." And students lodged a common complaint about the ability of the Escort van drivers to get them home safely. Wharton graduate student Tim Fletcher said he gets upset when "drivers immediately speed off," rather than waiting for the rider to walk to the door. And GAPSA Vice Chair Elizabeth Hunt said she would like to see "drivers that don't smoke and don't play the radio too loudly." Carey said that drivers are instructed to wait until the rider is behind the door. He added that all drivers take a mandatory safe driving class. But one students said she is worried that while some students will benefit from the changes, other students might suffer from them. "I hope you're not going to take service away from students who live west of the river and give it [to those students east of the river]," said Veterinary student Nancy Katz. The administrators said their "master plan" is to make the center of campus safer so that students feel safe enough to start walking again. And in the future, they said, Escort will most likely satisfy the needs of graduate students. "An Escort Service that serves west and east -- that's where we're probably going to end up," Director of Transportation and Parking Robert Furniss said. Furniss and Assistant Director of Transportation and Parking Carey explained the most recent changes in the Green Route Shuttle. Beginning December 2, two vans will run more frequent routes across the Schuylkill starting two hours earlier, at 7 p.m., and running every half hour during the "peak" times of 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

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