A new dispatch system may be in the future for RamRide according to Becky Ewing, director of RamRide for the Associated Students of CSU.
This new system will feature tablets instead of cell phones in all RamRide vehicles, a decreased need for volunteer dispatchers, increased fuel efficiency and significantly decreased wait times, according to Ewing.
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“The system we are looking at implementing would be like night and day with the old system,” Ewing said. “The biggest difference would be the use of a mobile app that students could download in order to enter their information to be picked up.”
Also included will be a way to respond to calls in order of how close a RamRide car is to a student’s location — a feature that Ewing said could save a huge amount of gas money, and possibly decrease the need for so many RamRide vehicles.
“The great part about this system I think is that it was developed specifically for University Safe Ride programs,” Martel said. “We also won’t need cell phones in the cars anymore. All in all it will be better technology to suit the high demand of RamRide.”
According to Ewing, the new dispatch system has the potential to be costly, but it also has the potential to save a lot of money.
“Although this system would be costly in the sense that there will be a monthly fee to use it, the decreased need for as many vehicles, as well as the increased fuel efficiency and overall decrease in wait times would be well worth it,” Ewing said. “The students will get a much better overall experience, which is the main goal.”
Although there are many perks to this system, it isn’t a sure bet yet.
“I’ll be working with the new RamRide director on this next semester,” Ewing said. “It will take some significant negotiations, but in the end it will pay off.”
Although keeping the dispatch system financially sustainable, said Martel, ASCSU will work to make the new system possible.
“We’re constantly looking at ways to improve the services that we offer,” said Regina Martel, ASCSU president. “With financial planning we should be able to make it work, or have a test trial of the program at the very least.”
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If all goes according to plan, said Ewing, the contract for the new system will be signed next semester, to be implemented next fall.
