First Escort Service Study Released

The University's first review of its escort service concludes that only 35 people use the service each night, Saul L. Chafin, chief of University police, said yesterday.

The study also found that 75 per cent of the students who use the service are women and that the number of requests for rides triples in bad weather.

Short Waits

He said that the study, conducted in October, did not analyze average waiting time, but he estimated that on average, a car arrives within ten minutes of a student's call.

The police chief said that only one car is used to service the entire university each night.

Elisabeth M. Einaudi '83, president of the Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS), contradicted Chafin, saying that as far as she knows waiting times "are closer to 20 minutes, frequently."

Long Waits

RUS has received several complaints of lengthy waiting times late at night this year. Einaudi said.

Several students, who asked not to be identified, concurred with Einaudi on the issue.

Not Worth the Wait

"It's just not worth it to wait for the escort service," one female student said. "Even though I know it's not safe for the one time something might happen. I haven't got the time to waste and wait around the other 99 times," she added.

One escort service driver, Joseph W. Day '82, said that the wait for a ride can often take up to an hour, depending on the time and the weather conditions.'

Driver's Problems

Problems contributing to delays include: inexperienced drivers, dispatchers' shift changes and student's not showing up for rides they have ordered, Day said.

Chafin said the police "have not had too many beefs at all about the service this year" and he added that occasional delays are not avoidable because only the single car is used to service the entire University.

The escort service operates daily from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m..

Chaifn said, "We don't expect students to be out after three in the morning, so we don't expect them to need any transportation."

"The service is best utilized between seven and three: it's most rewarding to the students at that time,: he added.