A new wave of safety for Bradley students is cruising onto campus with the TransLoc app, which allows students to track and request a ride from the Hilltop Safety Cruisers on campus.
The initiative to bring TransLoc to campus was achieved with assistance from the Student Safety Advisory Committee, Student Senate, BUPD and IT.
“It really is an Uber-like experience … on the student side, there is great efficiency,” Bradley University Police Chief Brian Joschko said. “Instead of having to call into a dispatch center and [wait] for someone to answer that call, you can put in your specific request right through the app.”
When TransLoc is opened for the first time, students will be asked to allow the app to use their location before they are able to select Bradley University and view the routes of the Hilltop Safety Cruiser.
Once this is done, students are taken to a homepage where they can select “on demand” to request a ride.
TransLoc has a wide variety of locations on campus where students can be picked up and dropped off, including Campustown establishments as well as the fraternity and sorority houses.
To request a ride, students select a desired pick-up location, click on the map displayed in the app and select their desired drop-off location. The app will keep students updated on the estimated arrival time. This feature allows for a clearer line of communication between the driver and student.
“One time, me and one of my friends didn’t want to walk in the rain, so we decided to call a Safety Cruiser, and we had to recall them to ask if they were still coming or if we missed them,” sophomore dietetics major Christi Hansen said.
Additionally, the app includes a feature where students can tell the Safety Cruiser driver how many passengers are in need to be picked up. The maximum number allowed for one pick-up is 12 students.
On the driver’s end, there are now GPS screens that the drivers follow on their route. The GPS sits in between the driver and passenger seat, giving the driver a clear view of both the road and the map.
“The tablet that’s inside the van tells the driver where to go, and it provides step-by-step GPS locations,” Joschko said.
From a student’s point of view, the choice to bring TransLoc to campus will help provide safety and comfort to those traveling between locations on and near campus at night.
“With all the nightlife starting, [TransLoc] will definitely help because if you’re a freshman on campus, then it will make you feel safer,” sophomore kinesiology and health science major Kailey Cassidy said.
Bradley’s Safety Cruisers have been running since 2012, but the TransLoc app provides a helpful upgrade in communication that is sure to be enjoyed by students around campus.
