SAFE Team
SAFE Team
Phone NUMBEr: 813-974-SAFE (7233)
Hours of Operation:
Monday- Friday: 6:30pm – 2:00am
Saturday: Closed
Sunday 6:30-2:00am
Follow the SAFE Team Instagram and Twitter for operational updates involving severe weather. SAFE Team does not operate on USF recognized holidays and other general university closures.
SAFE RIDE Vouchers
Please click on the link below to request your monthly Uber code. Codes will be sent via email by a base dispatcher. Codes will only be sent between the hours of 6:30 pm and 2:00 am on nights that SAFE Team is in operation.
Please note: Submitting a request does not guarantee that you will get a voucher as supplies are limited
Click Here to Request Your SAFE Ride Uber Code
Details:
- Students can claim 1 voucher each month
- Each voucher will provide 1 Uber ride at $30
- Vouchers expire at the end of the month
- There are no location or time restrictions. Students can use this at their home, USF apartment, or internationally 24/7
- Students can complete the form at any time to claim a voucher, but codes will only be sent between 6:30 pm-2:00 am nightly
- Students will have to provide their First and last name, U-Number, and USF email address (@usf.edu)
- A link will be sent via email directly to the student and can be claimed right from their personal Uber account
- Vouchers are limited and could run out before the end of each month
Disclaimer: Vouchers are limited and may run out before the end of the month. In case of an emergency, students should call 911.
ABOUT US
S.A.F.E. Team is dedicated to providing a heightened level of safety at the University
of South Florida. They provide this service by constantly patrolling sectors of campus
in order to deter crime, offering safe escorts to USF students, and working in conjunction
with Uber to provide the SAFE Ride service to USF students. SAFE Team is directly
supervised by University Police and Student Government.
SAFE Team Hiring
SAFE Team typically only hires when necessary. In the past, this has been once a semester,
but this is not guaranteed. You can find our application for Ground Field Staff (GFS)
when it is open on Handshake. The window for application submission is open for two
weeks.
SERVICES
SAFE Team Escort
A SAFE Team escort is a golf cart or walking team of two ground field staff accompanying
a number (typically one or two) of USF students, faculty or staff, from one location
on the University of South Florida campus to another.
Information Needed: Name, Number of Persons, Your Location, Your Destination
Disclaimer: If the wait time for a SAFE Team escort exceeds the operating hours, the
dispatcher must deny a request for an escort. The dispatcher also reserves the right
to deny escorts if they believe the caller may be a threat to them or the teams working
that night.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who am I talking to when I call?
When calling our office, you are speaking with our nightly dispatcher. There is only
one person answering the phones at a time, with one shift change during the night.
This means that if you call back for any reason, you are most likely speaking to the
same person you talked to initially.
What if I see a team parked on campus without a student?
That team is either waiting to pick up a student or has just dropped off a student
and is waiting on instructions from the dispatcher. If they are free, meaning they
are not assigned a call, you are able to walk up to them and ask for a safe escort.
If they are not free, they will direct you to call our dispatcher.
Why is the wait time so long?
We have an average of 8-10 teams working per night. We generally receive an average
of over 100 calls per night, with this sometimes exceeding 150 calls during busier
times like midterm and final exams. The average student escort takes about 10-15 minutes
for us to complete. With that, if we begin to receive high volumes of calls, our wait
time can begin to rise quickly. On any given night, you are free to ask the dispatcher
about the wait time and why it is long if you would like a better explanation in real
time.
Why is no one answering the phone?
Due to the high volume of calls we can receive and only one dispatcher, it is common
for the call queue to get backed up. If you are calling our service and no one is
answering, this means our dispatcher is currently on another call or is directing
our teams to the next pickup. Please remain on the line to keep your place in the
call queue.
How do wait times work?
Wait times change according to the number of calls we have received at the moment.
Calls are put into a queue and dispatchers give wait times according to how full the
queue is. Typically wait times are 10-15 minutes but can be longer or shorter depending
on the volume of calls.
Will you call me when you are outside?
SAFE Team does not call back after the original call. The dispatcher will give you
a wait time that your ride will arrive in. Please wait outside within this given wait
time. If no one is present at the pick up location within the given wait time, the
escort will be canceled. If you are unsure of where the team will pick up, please
ask the dispatcher for a location.
Why can’t I have a cart for more than two people?
Due to safety reasons, no more than 2 riders are allowed on the carts. This ensures
the riders have adequate space and can be seated properly. If you have a party of
more than 2 and feel unsafe, the dispatcher will send a walking team to ensure your
group gets to your location safely.
Why did I get a walking team?
Walking teams are deployed for groups of 3 or more. Since 3 people cannot safely fit
on a cart, we will walk with you to ensure safe arrival to your location.
Why didn’t my SAFE Team come to get me?
If you believe that your SAFE Team cart didn’t show up, check your wait time to see
if you exceeded the waiting period or if you still have time left. Typically, the
team is either on their way, or the wait time was exceeded and the team had to cancel.
If you are confused or concerned, please call our number back to clarify with our
dispatcher to resolve the situation.
Does SAFE Team patrol campus?
Yes. While most of our evening is spent escorting students, during low volume times
we have hourly lot requirements. Teams are driving campus on patrol while also escorting
students and report all suspicious activity to UP. In low volume times, teams patrol
campus to ensure the safety of students around campus. Typically, if teams are seen
stopped or in a lull period, they are waiting for their escort to arrive.
FEEDBACK
If you'd like to contact SAFE Team, give them feedback, or report any issues, use this feedback form.