• LIMO ridership increased in 2008 by 10.8 percent.
• Sgt. Dan Kolosovsky attributes much of the increase in LIMO transports to the new LIMO Express service.
• The SSP is in its 23rd year of operation. During this time LIMOs have transported over 6 million students and walking escorts have accompanied over 45,000.

Total Student Safety Patrol LIMO rides increased by 10.8 percent in 2008 due to implementation of new LIMO express routes.

The new LIMO express routes introduced last March transport students along Wisconsin Avenue, Wells Street and Kilbourn Avenue.

Comparing the fall semester of 2007 — when express LIMOs didn't yet operate -— to the fall of 2008, total LIMO usage jumped 31.7 percent, according to SSP statistics.

A total of 106,786 riders took LIMOs last semester.

"The LIMO express expedites our door-to-door service," said SSP manager Sgt. Dan Kolosovsky. "It's a quick way to move students east and west across campus."

Lt. Katie Berigan of SSP said one reason for the recent increase in LIMO transports is a new late-night extension SSP provides during the academic year.

"The late night extension is for students who are still out from 3 to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights," Berigan said.

On any given Friday or Saturday night, LIMOs will transport up to 2,500 students. On busy nights like these, about 10 percent of the calls the SSP receives are no-shows, Berigan said.

"This can add up to be two wasted hours of a 10-hour shift," Berigan said. "To make the service run as efficiently as possible, we always ask the students to have their ID ready and be waiting."

Jacob Hartlmeier, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said the new LIMO express routes have been very convenient this year in moving him from his residence on Wells Street to the library.

"When I'm at the library I never have to wait long before an express van arrives," Hartlmeier said.

"Usually I don't even have to call for a LIMO to get picked up because they're always around," he said. "And taking a LIMO definitely beats walking when it's five degrees outside."

SSP statistics also show increases in safety patrol walking escorts, lot checks and special transports for students who cannot walk to class or need to get to the downtown Intermodal Station.

Kolosovsky and Berigan attribute the success of the program to its ability to evolve and be open to whatever makes the service best to meet student needs.

The officers consider the program to be "of the students, for the students and by the students." They are the only full-time SSP employees in a staff of over 100 student employees.

The program is in its 23rd year of operation, Kolosovsky said.

"In 1986, we started out with one minivan," Kolosovsky said. "Since then, our LIMOs have transported over 6 million students, and we've had over 45,000 walking escorts."

Kolosovsky said he considers the LIMOs and walking escort service to be the university's number one crime prevention program.

"Other universities are emulating what our program is doing here on campus," Kolosovsky said. "I consider this to be the greatest of compliments."