Communication mishaps cause problems for Safe Rides drivers

Every weekend, Davidson’s shuttle service, Safe Rides, transports students all over campus and the Town of Davidson to ensure they get to and from their destination safely. Despite the program’s important position on campus, the men behind the wheel, Rick Rudisill and Scott Greenwalt, have not been treated as such.

The Safe Rides program has grown since it was first implemented in 2006 by Rudisill. The College Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety at the time, Fountain Walker, first asked Rudisill to start a shuttle service for Davidson students. “I was approached by the head of police at that time because he knew I was in the fire department and I was certified to drive [large motor vehicles] in the state of North Carolina,” Rudisill said. His partner, Greenwalt, joined the team in 2019. Operating from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the two have driven hundreds of students to and from events. “[One] night, I probably picked up an excess of 250 students back and forth,” Rudisill said.

The operation has since become a vital part of campus life. Many students rely on the pair’s services on nights out, as well as getting to and from the airport over longer breaks. In an anonymous feedback form about the SGA airport shuttles, one student said, “I really appreciate that it is a free service that feels safe because I’m with other Davidson students. It takes the anxiety away from Uber, especially at night.”

Rudisill and Greenwalt were awarded the Omicron Delta Kappa Community Award in 2023 for their commitment to inclusivity at Davidson through their transportation services. “Despite severe weather or the hardships these men conquer in life, Rick and Scott will always put Davidson students before themselves,” the 2023 Spring Convocation program reads.

In spite of administrative accolades and student appreciation, the Davidson administration has not made their job easy. On March 25, Rudisill and Greenwalt reached out to the Student Government Association (SGA) about their concerns regarding funds and bathroom access.

Responsibility for the Safe Rides program and its funding is split between SGA and the Davidson Campus Police Department. “We split the cost of [van] rentals and hourly [wages] for Rick and Scott,” SGA Charters and Bylaws Committee Chair Maureen Cavanaugh ‘27 said.

The duo also answers to Andy Kraeger, the Department of Public Safety’s administrative assistant. With oversight of the Safe Rides program split across three departments, it is easy for important information to get lost. The Senate meeting minutes, taken by Bianca Campos ‘28 from SGA’s weekly meeting on March 25, reads, “‘[There is a] lack of cooperation between departments at the school’ – referencing Dept. of Public Safety and Student Activities.”

According to Rudisill and Greenwalt, they do not have access to restrooms after midnight. Instead, they turn to a nearby gas station or the woods. “If they trust us to drive 300 students, why don’t you trust me to use the restroom?” Greenwalt said in an interview with The Davidsonian.

Students and SGA members were surprised to hear negative feedback from Rudisill and Greenwalt. “It was a bit shocking to hear from them and their perspective, how they’ve been treated by the administration,” SGA Outreach Committee Chair Kate Teagarden ‘26 said, who also frequently uses Safe Rides to get to and from her off campus house.

When the College Police were asked about their treatment of the Safe Rides employees, they emphasized that the employees have access to limited spaces. “Safe Rides drivers have 24/7 access to bathrooms in the public safety offices in Tomlinson Hall. They also have access to any campus building that allows public access,” Chief of Police Julian Coaxum and Captain Laura Vanzant stated in an email. Public access ends at 5 p.m. for non-Davidson students, which means the drivers only have access to one bathroom on campus.

Rudisill and Greenwalt said they have access to the Alvarez College Union until midnight, but were not aware of their ability to access other restrooms during the rest of their shifts.

The drivers also mentioned paying out of pocket for a van decal. The decal includes the Davidson logo and the Safe Rides phone number. “I don’t believe Rick ever got reimbursed,” Greenwalt said.

When asked about this, Campus Police didn’t deem the purchase necessary. “The drivers were not asked or directed to make the decal,” Coaxum and Vanzant stated.

However, students believe the decal is necessary. “Just think about it: it’s dark, there’s someone driving up in a plain, unmarked van. It’s kind of weird. And so they were like, ‘We need a sign,’” Cavanaugh said.

Rudisill, Greenwalt and Cavanaugh all agree that many of the problems arise from communication issues. “I think their problem that they’re running into now is just all this coordination between us and the police department, and it’s just a lot of moving parts and pieces,” Cavanaugh explained.

Greenwalt emphasized this issue. “[Cavanaugh will] go through [Kraeger]. […] And it’s not [Kraeger’s] fault, but sometimes we don’t get all the information,” he said.

Rudisill and Greenwalt hope to eventually hire more drivers and get new vans. They explained that their current van can not fit a wheelchair, so unless they are given advance notice, they are not able to drive people who use wheelchairs. “Everybody who requires a wheelchair has bent over backwards to make it easy for [Rudisill] and I […] but you just have to make sure that you can accommodate the students’ needs,” Greenwalt said.

SGA plans to collaborate with the drivers to ease administrative issues. “SGA is really wanting to increase their budget and potentially look into getting another van or more drivers and figure out a way to make their job a little bit easier,” Teagarden said. “And also act as a liaison to make their voice heard a little bit more. Because clearly they haven’t really been heard by the administration, and if we can act as a better advocate for them, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The drivers also suggested consolidating under one branch of the College to minimize miscommunications. “We kind of pushed the idea to SGA: if you could afford to do this, break away from the campus police, run this on your own,” Greenwalt said. “Now the biggest thing is […] can they afford to break away because of budgets?”

Yet, no matter the difficulties, Rudisill and Greenwalt still find the job fulfilling. “We’ve never found an incident where we couldn’t work around it […] we are kind of dedicated to make sure that we’re able to accommodate the students from the Safe Rides standpoint. I mean, I would feel terrible if something happened to somebody that I could take care of,” Rudisill said.

As time goes on and Safe Rides continues to grow, SGA plans to work toward solving these issues. “[SGA will] do the best we can on our end to make sure they’re getting the respect from the school that they deserve,” Cavanaugh said.