Reddy Gurramkonda, 76, glances at the glowing phone screen, reading the details of his next pickup location. The steady hum of the engine fills the quiet night as he waits on Sheridan Road, ready for the student to arrive.
Many Northwestern students opt to take the university’s free transportation service, Safe Ride, to travel across campus safely after dark. For the 2024-2025 academic year, in partnership with Via Transportation, Safe Ride introduced company-owned vans and a new carpooling system, allowing drivers to pick up multiple passengers during a single trip.
I spent the night with two Safe Ride drivers to see first-hand how they — and students — are adjusting to the new system.
Turning the steering wheel, his golden ring capturing the glint of traffic lights, Gurramkonda starts his shift at 6:45 p.m. sharp. Instead of picking up students in his car, Gurramkonda drives to 800 Elgin Road to use Northwestern’s new Safe Ride vans — easily recognizable with the iconic purple “N” embellished on its sides.
Gurramkonda says this change has helped him save costs on gas and mileage on his car, now exclusively reserved for his day job as a school counselor.
Guided by the GPS’s monotone voice, Gurramkonda picks up two students from Foster-Walker Complex. As they set their bags down, he encourages me to ask them about what they think of the new system.
“I like the new Safe Ride. It’s cool because I feel like it’s faster, and you end up seeing people you know,” McCormick third-year Aditi Ladd says before being dropped off at the Tech.
In comparison to last year’s usual 30 to 40-minute waiting time, getting a Safe Ride now takes only 10 to 15 minutes due to students being picked up and dropped off all in one trip.
As I sit beside Gurramkonda, he pulls up to another Safe Ride driver in front of the Kellogg School of Management. He rolls his window down, grinning when he recognizes the driver in the next van.
He ushers me to interview Zabiuddin “Zab” Ahmed, a community beloved Safe Ride driver of seven years, and I rush out to switch vans.
Safe Ride drivers are contracted employees, meaning they are federally limited to only working 5 days and 40 hours a week. Last year, drivers worked up to 7 days a week for 70-80 hours.
Ahmed previously worked as an Uber driver but decided to switch to Safe Ride after hearing about safety concerns in Chicago, even though Uber offered better pay. This year, changes to Safe Ride have led to reduced driver salaries. Though the reason isn’t clear, Ahmed attributes it to “less hours, less money.”
However, the new paid 30-minute break was a welcomed update.
“[Last year,] whatever the time you take, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, one hour, half hour — they used to cut from your pay,” Ahmed says.
Pointing at Via Transportation’s provided phone, Ahmed explains that the app allows him to take a paid break in the middle of his shift.
In the cup holder beside him, Ahmed keeps cookies and coffee at all times to keep him energized on shift. For students tired from studying, he keeps an emergency gym bag of chips and cookies tucked in the front seat.
“They are away from their families. They are not eating homemade food … so at least I’ll keep them happy,” Ahmed says as he waves his hand to signal a student to get in.