Apartment Transportation: Methods of Getting Home Safe at Night

Safety is a chief concern for parents, students and staff at colleges and universities around the nation. Colleges are often ranked according to crime statistics and their reputations for partying. Providing safe apartment transportation is a key way to ensure students arrive home safe every night.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, every year nearly five million students between 18 and 24 years of age will get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol. Safety concerns extend beyond drinking and driving. Using public transportation alleviates the risk of being in dark parking lots late at night or walking home during unsafe times. Thankfully, many colleges and universities have numerous options for students that are free or offered at minimal cost.

A Sampling of Options

We chose the University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor, Michigan to highlight the different transportation options available to students. Here is what they offer. Ask about similar programs at your school or explore options offered by local municipalities.

• SafeRide is a program offered at U-M to students and staff. Riders can use the service one time per evening to get to their residence if it’s within a one-mile radius of the school campus. SafeRide also acts as a resource. If students are not within a one-mile radius, they can still call the SafeRide number to receive information about other local services.
• RideHome is a free shared-ride taxi service operated by U-M that picks up at several main locations around campus and will take faculty or students to their off-site parking location or residence within a one-mile radius. It operates from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.
• Night Ride is also a shared-ride taxi program that is not operated by U-M. The city of Ann Arbor runs the program from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. It only costs a flat fee of $5. Students can access the program by calling U-M’s SafeRide hotline.
• Emergency Ride Home offers free taxi rides to students and staff up to six times per year. It’s available for emergency situations and will transport riders to a variety of locations, including a remote lot or their homes. Students can use it to get from their home back to campus. It’s available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
• State Street Ride is a free taxi service that takes riders from anywhere on U-M’s campus to the South State Street Commuter lot, which is a park and ride lot in Ann Arbor. The service operates after buses have stopped for the day, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Other Options to Explore

Cities and universities often run their own bus lines. Explore the transit authority’s website in the school’s region to determine how accessible your destinations will be via bus. Many municipalities offer free bus rides to students with a valid ID. However, the regular bus schedules usually do not extend into the very late hours.

Other safe transportation options are offered by apartment communities. Properties often have their own shuttles or buses that run on set schedules, including late night hours. For example,Copper Beech Townhomes in Kalamazoo, Michigan has its own shuttle that takes students to both Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University, as well as into the city center. Of course, traditional taxi services are also available. Although, this will end up being the most costly option for students.

Whether safety or conservation is your primary motivation, apartment transportation is a priority for today’s student. Parents are given peace of mind, while students save money and have access to safe, convenient rides. Add “access to transportation” to your list of university and housing criteria when selecting where you want to attend or live.

What kinds of alternative transportation options exist in your area? Let us know about them in the comment section below.