GUEST COLUMN: "Steering Escort in the Right Direction"

Since we returned to school this year, the new Escort system has received a tremendous amount of negative attention. I'd like to announce new changes to the Escort system, deal with misconceptions of the current system, and provide information on where you can vent any further frustrations. In the minds of the University administration, a new Escort system was needed. Use of the system had expanded almost 14 times in six years -- from 14,000 riders per year to 194,000 riders per year. On the other hand, the budget had increased only five times. This, along with a greater need to serve students who live downtown, meant that the old system was outdated. The decision was made to base the new system on the popular "Study Shuttles to the Library" during finals. This meant specific on-campus transit stops and to-your-door service off-campus. Unfortunately, something was lost in the translation. That is how we got the system we began the school year with. But Escort has been improved now, with new changes. 1) For off-campus pickups to an on-campus site, you will be picked up at the door of your off-campus location. You will be taken through the loop and dropped off at the transit site closest to your requested destination. Students off-campus to the west will not be forced to switch vans at High Rise South. The same will hold true going from on-campus to off-campus. You will be picked up at a transit site and then taken to your door. This is true for any off-campus residence. 2) The Walking Escort boundaries in the west part of campus have been reined in. First, between Walnut and Chestnut, they have been moved to 38th Street from 40th Street. The same can be said for the Walking Escort boundaries between Spruce and Baltimore. Also, Walking Escort has been moved in so that International House now has access to door pickups from Escort rather than having to walk to Gimbel Gym or Grad Tower A. By moving the Walking Escort boundaries in and considering these new areas "off-campus," students living there can have Escort pick them up at their door. Walking Escort now is essentially covering what is considered by most to be on-campus. And, at the same time, all residences and locations considered by students as off-campus will now be able to get Escort to pick students up at their doors. Off-campus to off-campus is still the same with its door-to-door policy, it just includes more areas now. Let me now quickly deal with several of the misconceptions students currently have about the Escort system. 1) While it is true that the new system's budget increased, this was the result of purchasing $100,000 in new vehicles. The cost would have been incurred under the old system. Furthermore, the cost per ride has decreased since last year. 2) In terms of usage, ridership has actually increased. While the increase of 80 percent reported to me by Escort is inflated, there is definitely a substantial increase. According to a survey done on the new system, average waiting times have been reduced from 20 minutes per person to seven minutes. In terms of security, only three stops required additional officers and lighting, and these were properly put in place. Also, at the busy 3401 Walnut (Van Pelt Library) transit site, there is a police mini-station. 5) Walking Escort has been increased, but its primary purpose is to act as a deterrent. An extension of PennWatch, the Police Department hopes additional eyes and ears with walkie-talkies will create and effective presence. For those that are interested in this issue, I am certain that this column will not answer all of your questions and concerns. The Undergraduate Assembly, as well as the University Council, each have Safety and Security Committees where your suggestions are welcomed. Also, tomorrow, there will be a forum on the new Escort system. Sponsored by the Undergraduate Assembly, it will be at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday in the Ben Franklin Room on the second floor of Houston Hall. The people responsible for the new changes to Escort will be there to allow you to offer more constructive criticism. But, please do not forget the new changes to the system. These are bold steps by the administration, in response to U.A. lobbying and student outcry. Let's try to see if these changes will work before we begin to attack the system again. These are productive first steps -- let us not take them for granted. Jeff Lichtman is a senior Communications major from Los Angeles, California, and chairperson of the Undergraduate Assembly.

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