RamSafe specializes in transporting precious cargo: You

By Leila Ugincius

Richmond offers a bevy of transportation options to travel around the city. But only one is exclusive to Virginia Commonwealth University students, faculty and staff: RamSafe. The point-to-point evening shuttle service provides free, secure transportation to locations on and near campus.

"RamSafe provides students and employees with a simple and reliable transportation service," said Josh Stone, executive director of Parking and Transportation. "You can easily book a ride through the Ride Pingo app, track your vehicle in real-time, and travel safely across campus during evening and overnight hours. We encourage more community members to take advantage of this service."

When Nicole Rodriguez, a music major, needed to go downtown one recent evening for a job interview, she used the Ride Pingo app (available for download in Google Play, Apple App Store and VCU Mobile) to request a RamSafe ride.

"I don't really want to walk home in the dark," she said. "[RamSafe] is a safe way to get around campus. It's quick and easy."

When the shuttle stopped to pick up a couple more passengers, Rodriguez didn't worry about being late. Driver Dellarie Lockett had her eye on the clock.

"What time's your interview?" Lockett asked. "I'll get you there on time."

Lockett, who's been a RamSafe driver for about two years, tries to build a positive rapport with her passengers, who are often repeat customers, she said. "That helps for a pleasant experience because we're going to meet over and over again."

But as much as she wants to greet each passenger with a friendly smile, that takes a back seat to her No. 1 priority: safety.

"We focus on safety. I want to transport them as if they are precious cargo and get them where they're going safely," Lockett said. "I want them to know that when they come on to our bus, it's going to be a welcoming environment and it's going to be a relaxing ride."

Postdoctoral fellow Chenfeng He is a frequent RamSafe passenger. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Chenfeng He always feels welcome when Lockett picks her up, and she greets the driver with a big smile. Some of the drivers, such as Lockett, have become friends to her, she said. "[Lockett] is always smiling and bright and caring."

As a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, He runs chemistry experiments that require her to collect samples every hour for long stretches of time, putting her on campus at all hours of the night. She heard about RamSafe from her colleagues in January and has been a repeat rider ever since.

"Taking RamSafe whenever I need, I can focus on my research and not worry about when I need to go home," she said. "Safe, reliable and professional, RamSafe takes us home."

RamSafe runs 365 days a year from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., with shortened hours on some holidays such as Christmas. Typically, there are anywhere from four to six shuttles operating at any given time. In the fiscal year ending June 30, RamSafe gave 92,999 rides, with Thursdays being the busiest day of the week.

Rakshith Harish Kumar had only heard about RamSafe last week - at international student orientation - and was already taking advantage of the transport later the same night.

"It is very useful for students where we can travel around the campus any time," he said. "It is very safe to travel late at night."

That same evening, dental students Kendra Diaz and Natalie Ortiz found themselves studying at the Health Sciences Library later than they expected. Not feeling safe walking to a bus stop and then waiting for the bus late at night, they decided to give RamSafe a try for the first time.

"I heard it was an easy and safe way to get home when you're on campus late at night," Diaz said. "RamSafe makes me feel safe because it only services VCU students and staff. The driver is also part of the VCU staff so they want to ensure our safety. I also really liked that they pick you up where you are, and they drop you off right in front of your apartment."

Natalie Ortiz, left, and Kendra Diaz head to their apartment after riding in the RamSafe vehicle. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Ortiz said she was very pleased with how safe she felt.

"I would like new VCU students to know how safe and great of a transportation option this is for students ― especially those who rely on public transportation," she said.

Both she and Diaz plan to use the service more often.

"It's really easy to order a RamSafe, and you should definitely order one when you're out and about at night - better safe than sorry," Diaz said. "It's very safe and secure!"

Krishna Indla, a dental hygiene third-year, agreed. "After 5 p.m., Ram Safe is the quickest, easiest and the safest way to go from one place to another," he said, adding that he uses the shuttle just about every day.

"It is a great service that connects one part of the campus to the other even during late nights," Indla said. "When I'm using a RamSafe, I don't have to worry about any external factors like security or safety. I can easily track exactly where my RamSafe is and how long it is going to take to reach me and the ETA. I would say with certainty that RamSafe is a great resource if you usually have to travel at night on campus or you feel unsafe walking across campus."

Indla encourages new students who might find traversing the campus intimidating or scary - especially after dark - to use RamSafe.

"[It's] the best way for them to travel both safely and faster," he said.

RamSafe runs 365 days a year. Last year, RamSafe gave 92,999 rides. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

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