Many colleges have some form of on-campus safety and transportation for students late at night. Larger colleges use a bus system, which Dickinson is too small to warrant. Due to this, Dickinson has developed the Safety Shuttle program, which is driven by students and overseen by Jill Swartz, the safety services coordinator with the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Dickinson’s shuttle is one of few after-dark safety transportation systems on college campuses in the United States which is entirely student-run. The shuttle, which runs seven days a week, begins its route at Drayer, has stops at all major dorm buildings (including the Factory Apartments) and Denny Hall and ends its route at Walmart. The shuttle originally ran from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. but after COVID-19, had its time shortened to a six-hour window between 6:00 p.m. and midnight.
However, the safety shuttle has been running sporadically since last school year, due to issues surrounding both scheduling current drivers and hiring new drivers. In October, The Dickinsonian spoke to Swartz about the issues surrounding safety shuttle staffing. Swartz outlined how the shuttle only has a few drivers, due to many having graduated in 2024. The shuttle simply cannot operate with a handful of drivers, especially as students get busier towards the end of the year. Swartz understands this, as she stated in October, “Students want to sign up, but get invited to things.”
The problems from October have not been resolved. The safety shuttle still runs irregularly to the point where the shuttle is more often delayed or outright cancelled than running on schedule. At this point, at least three days per week might face reduced hours, with 10 p.m. often being the last trip.
The shuttle is an important part of Dickinson life. Due to the Walmart, CVS and other stores in the same mall, being at least a half-hour walk from campus, many students need the shuttle to be able to get groceries, medication or dorm supplies. While the Wellness Center runs a medical shuttle, many students find it less convenient than taking the safety shuttle. The safety shuttle provides a key method of transportation for students without cars or who cannot make the half-hour walk for any number of reasons.
In emails, DPS has pleaded for more shuttle drivers to register, however, shuttle drivers cannot be first years due to insurance concerns.
