As winter gets closer, an increasing number of students try to avoid the cold by using Creighton’s shuttle system to get to different campus locations.

In past years, Creighton’s Public Safety and shuttle services have helped students get from one place to another year-round — and these services are especially appreciated during the early hours of the morning and the rainy, cold and snowy seasons. This year, a new transportation system will be enacted that will consolidate both public safety and shuttle services.

Public Safety is making several enhancements to the protection of students on campus, including hiring more officers and becoming more visible around students.

Crime Prevention Officer Jim Dorsey is in the process of hiring these new officers, in hopes to deter crime on campus.

“We did an assessment last year and the result was that we could use more coverage,” Dorsey said. “There has been the same amount of Public Safety officer coverage since I was a student, and with the growth of the university, it only makes sense to hire more officers.”

To make shuttle transportation more efficient and cut down on wait times, both the east and west shuttles now run every 20 minutes instead of their previous 30 minute loops.

“The extra run each hour represents a 50 percent increase in service,” Public Safety Director Rick McAuliffe said.

In addition to the regular late-night shuttle routes, Public Safety is now implementing a free taxi service. The new service, called JAYRIDE, will operate from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Students who wish to request a ride from the taxi driver can call (402) 546-TAXI (8294).

“Initially, different vehicles may be used to provide taxi service,” McAuliffe said. “Each vehicle will be identifiable by the magnetic signage on the sides of the vehicle and be driven by a shuttle driver.”

Those who call the JAYRIDE service will be transported to and from any point on campus. McAuliffe also said that this service may still be reached after 2 a.m., but will be transferred to Public Safety, who will provide an escort until the regular shuttle services resume in the morning.

“Given the shuttle service improvements, public safety will now primarily provide pedestrians with escorts between campus buildings and parking lots or emergency transportation,” McAuliffe said.

Public safety is also working with DoIT to set up a GPS system for the shuttles, however it has not yet been put into effect.