SafeRide is expanding its services this semester by offering students traveling on Sundays a ride home from Tucson International Airport.
SafeRide, one of the 15 programs of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, is student-run and provides free transportation Sunday through Friday to students, faculty and UA guests.
Starting Sunday, students can sign up online to be picked up at the airport free of charge, said Josh Wright, SafeRide director.
Though rides to the airport are not yet offered, the feature may be added if the current expansion is successful, said Wright, a public administration graduate student.
The addition of an airport shuttle service is one of the many changes Wright has made since he took over the program three years ago. Other changes include offering rides throughout the summer, hiring about five new staff members and adding more vehicles, he said.
Two Dodge Caravans were added to the fleet, bringing the total to eight vehicles. SafeRide will now run six vehicles full time, as opposed to last year's five, Wright said.
The additional vehicles will allow SafeRide to offer an estimated 3,000 more rides than the 40,000 given last year, Wright said, which can be attributed to the $75,000 annual budget that comes from ASUA.
Wright said SafeRide has the largest budget of any program in ASUA because it is "by far the most widely used."
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"Luckily, we're such an important program to ASUA that our funding is one of the highest priorities," Wright said.
As the program continues to grow, however, Wright said he expects to look to outside resources for funding.
SafeRide revved up for this year's season Monday night by offering potential new sorority members rides home from the Student Union Memorial Center.
Because the first night is typically slow for SafeRide drivers, Wright said he allowed SafeRide drivers to wait around the loop north of the SUMC to take students to their houses or dorms.
"We do this every year for sorority girls on the first night back," Wright said. "But usually we're slammed from the time we open to the time we close."
Although the service is convenient, the program's top priority is student safety, Wright said.
Jack Bybee, a 59-year-old student pursuing majors in psychology, creative writing and studio art, said he works at the UA Main Library until late at night and often gets a ride home from SafeRide.
"I was assaulted a while ago on Mountain (Avenue), and ever since then I use SafeRide," Bybee said.
Chris Scheopner, University of Arizona Police Department crime prevention specialist, said the program helps law enforcement by preventing "potential suspicious activity."
Scheopner said UAPD and SafeRide work together to advocate safety on campus, and he hopes the UA community takes advantage of the program, especially incoming freshmen.
"It's students helping students," Scheopner said. "It shows that the community is looking out for one another, and if used correctly, it has excellent potential to keep students safe."