SGA calls for all-day, accessible RamSafe buses with new proposal
Members of the Student Government Association’s Disability Advocacy and Accessibility Caucus present their proposal on Sept. 8 at the University Student Commons. Photo by Andrew Kerley.
Sal Orlando, Contributing Writer
The Student Government Association’s Disability Advocacy and Accessibility Caucus presented a proposal on Monday to improve VCU transit services for students with impaired mobility.
The caucus is calling for expanded service times for RamSafe buses to include daytime hours, as well as coverage across more campus locations.
RamSafe buses — meant to provide late-night transportation for student safety — regularly run from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., 365 days a year, according to the VCU Parking & Transportation website. The caucus’ proposal is asking for coverage during the entire academic day to help students with impaired mobility get to class.
“Improving transportation access at VCU will directly benefit the hundreds, if not thousands, of students with disabilities, chronic conditions, mobility challenges or temporary injuries who navigate campus each day,” the proposal states.
Nearly all RamSafe buses/vans are ADA accessible and have wheelchair ramps, according to Josh Stone, executive director of VCU Parking and Transportation Services. Students have to request a wheelchair ramp in the Ride Pingo app. There is always at least one ADA compliant bus available.
“If a student/employee uses RamRide, the same there, we have 12 low-floor buses that have no steps and our vendor uses them significantly,” Stone stated. “Nearly all of the RamRide buses have wheelchair ramps and the drivers are trained to assist passengers with getting on/off the bus and using the ramps.”
The caucus’ proposal includes ensuring every single RamSafe bus is ADA compliant in order to eliminate the extra step of requesting an accessible ride on the app.
The SGA will vote to resolve the proposal on Sept. 15, after which they can share it with VCU Parking and Transportation Services, according to Jimmie Gahagan, VCU’s Associate Vice President for Transformative Student Experiences, who oversees SGA.
The SGA can then present the proposal on Oct. 15 to the University Council, a body that includes students, faculty, staff and administrators. The council can review and recommend new or updated policies, vote on them and present them to President Michael Rao.
The DAAC was created to transform campus perceptions of disabilities by forming an environment that recognizes disabled students as integral members of VCU, according to SGA press secretary Natalie Bowen.
“As an entity of the SGA, we share the same mission to advocate for the rights and well-being of the student body, and hope to enhance quality of life for disabled students by implementing positive institutional change and ensuring equitable access to campus resources,” Bowen stated in an email.
The proposal was inspired by students like Vishnupriya Alavala, a delegate for the caucus who struggled with getting around campus after a leg injury, according to Bowen. They noticed how inaccessible campus was for those with mobility impairments. Other students in the caucus have experienced VCU transportation being either inaccessible or unavailable.
Caucus member Bria Devinney was once forced to miss class after injuring her knee.
“This was a class in the middle of the day, so the RamSafe was not an option for me,” Devinney stated.
Approximately 3,500 students — about 14.4% of the university’s total student population — were registered with the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity office during the 2024-25 academic year, marking six consecutive years of growing demand for accommodations and support, according to the SGA proposal.
That figure is likely not reflective of how many students at VCU actually have some sort of physical disability or chronic condition, given that not every student is aware of SAEO or registers with SAEO, according to caucus chair Shady Habib.
Habib has ectodermal dysplasia, which inhibits his ability to sweat and regulate his body temperature.
“I often struggle getting to classes and club events during the early fall and late spring when it gets hot on campus,” Habib stated. “A paratransit service would greatly help me during those times in the semester.”
