“If it saves one rape or accident in a year, it’s worth it,” said Dave Pack, a member of the Student Association Mass Transit Board.

Pack was referring to NIU’s first ever late night ride service which the transit board is offering in an effort to curb sexual assault and physical battery at NIU.

The service, free to NIU students, was originally intended for use by women only. Now, it can be used by male and female students who need transportation home from computer labs, libraries, bars and parties.

“We’re trying to convince people walking home alone in the evenings to call 753-1661. Once the dispatcher receives your location and destination, he will be there within 20 minutes,” said transit board member Michael Cassman.

The service operates Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Pack said the late night service began as a safe ride service but has evolved into a program against drunk driving. “If someone is drinking, we’d rather have them call,” Pack said. “When you’re at parties, don’t accept rides from people you don’t know.”

But response has been minimal—two weekends ago the service provided service for seven riders, and last weekend only four people were given rides. “We assume the warm weather is the reason why students are not riding,” Cassman said. “We were just endorsed by the Sexual Assault Task Force, and we had 30 riders on the last Saturday of last year.”

Transit board Chairman Dave Emerick said the service was initiated April 1 last year and ran for about six weeks as a pilot program, but added that if ridership remains low the board will not continue to fund the program.

“I expect more ridership,” Emerick said. He added the service will be on a “semester by semester basis” in order to monitor the system.

However, Emerick said, the service is proving to be an “efficient use of student fees.

“Other universities have this type of service, and it has been widely accepted,” he said. “I can see the service around for a long time, but only if ridership increases.”

The service was discussed Monday night at the transit board’s first meeting of the year. The board also discussed the possibility of adding more Friday evening hours for NIU’s handicapped ride service, but no decision was made final.

Gary Boden, DeKalb assistant city manager, presented a history of the relationship between the City of DeKalb and the transit board concerning road repair funding.