University of Colorado at Boulder students out after dark this school year will have a safe, reliable way to get home thanks to the CU NightRide campus program.
Formerly known as NightRide/NightWalk, the program provides free, nighttime escorts to CU-Boulder students, staff and faculty around campus and anywhere within the Boulder city limits.
The program's name was changed because it no longer offers the walking service on campus, according to James Uhes, director of CU NightRide. As part of the NightRide program, the escorts now use a miniaturized van to take students anywhere they need to go on campus.
It makes more sense to use a vehicle for inter-campus trips rather than walking, Uhes said, because it allows them to make campus treks quicker. And doing so means they can escort more people, he said.
"This is a great opportunity for students who need to go to the library at night, but don't feel safe going all the way across campus alone," Uhes said.
The program operates five vehicles in all, each are clearly marked with the CU NightRide name and phone number. During the 2004-05 school year, Uhes and his staff provided service to nearly 20,000 students, faculty and staff. Created in 1985, the program is based in the University Memorial Center on campus.
Emergency phone kiosks, improved campus lighting and a variety of programs have been put in place to help keep the CU-Boulder campus safe. For more information about campus safety visit http://www.colorado.edu/safety.
For more information about CU NightRide, including hours of operation, visit the Web site at http://umc.colorado.edu/nrnw/, or to schedule a ride call (303) 492-7233.