VCU new buses enhance safety - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

VCU students now have a bus line to call their own. Thursday was the first day students got a chance to ride on nearly a dozen brand new buses, each one designed to be high-tech and offer additional safety features.

Campus officials say a new ID reader will make sure anyone who is not a student won't be able to enter on the school's new system. That's one of the many reasons VCU officials wanted their own bus line.

It's called Ram Ride. The university separated from GRTC and partnered with Groom Transportation bringing 11 buses to campus just for student and faculty use.

"I think it should be pretty helpful. Safer," said student Harding Coughter.

"I generally feel a lot safer taking the bus than I do walking anywhere," said student George Berry.

Since some of the buses run until 2 a.m., Berry says he likes the fact that people outside of campus won't have access.

"You have a bit of a control of whose actually around you," he said.

"There seems to be a problem with people who are not students hanging out on campus a lot recently," Coughter added.

University officials say safety is an important factor. They wanted to make sure security cameras would still be featured and that the ID scanner would be fully functional.

"It actually allows us to gather a lot of information, who is riding the bus from what locations…All of the great amenities we've been expecting so long," said Robin Mack with VCU's transportation department.

All done so students can not only ride in style, but with pride and safety at the forefront.

"'I'd rather be safe than unsafe. Makes me feel better," Coughter said.

The school is also going high-tech. A QR option is available for students to scan into their smart phones, letting them know how far the closest bus is so they'll know how long they'll have to wait especially if off campus.

Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12.  All rights reserved.