One resource that students can use to get around campus is the Augustana College Express Service, also known by its acronym ACES. It is a free service run by students that is overseen by public safety. ACES works like the rideshare app Uber, where students can either call or use an app to request a ride from one place to another.

In the last few months, ACES has repeatedly sent out emails that they are closing early or that the app is down and can’t be used. This has become a recurring problem for the service and for the students who use it.

On Friday Oct. 7 and Friday Sept. 23, for example, ACES closed at midnight, two hours before its normal weekend closing time of 2 a.m. On Saturday Oct. 8, public safety sent students an email at 12:43 a.m. notifying students that ACES had closed at midnight.

Junior Luke Prescott frequently used ACES throughout last year. “I lived in Erickson my sophomore year, and all my friends were in Swanson commons,” Prescott said. “I always left there late at night.”

Students commonly feel hesitant about walking around campus at night. For that reason, many rely on ACES. “It was always a safer bet,” Prescott said.

Last year, Augustana’s student body received an update from Public Safety in May that three students had been followed in the S lot, and in April that shots had been fired near Sorensen. Both happened around 11 p.m., the same time Prescott mentioned he usually took ACES.

Many students are frustrated by wait times and the fact that ACES closes early. 

“They always came,” Prescott said, referring to the ACES van. “But you’re like, I need to get back, I need to go to bed, and you’re just waiting there, sitting there for 35 minutes.”

Junior Luis Navarrete is co-director of ACES. He said there were several explanations as to why ACES isn’t always consistent, due to the challenges of running the service.

“ACES always works in pairs,” Navarrete said. “I need someone dispatching and I need someone driving.” 

But when a worker doesn’t show up for their shift, the system is put under stress. 

“One person cannot do a two person job,” Navarrete said.

He wants it to be more clear to workers that although ACES is student run, it’s just as serious as any job. 

“A lot of people are like, ‘hey man, I can’t show up right now’,” Navarrete said, pointing out that he wants student workers to feel comfortable reaching out but not so relaxed that they don’t prioritize their position.

As a student himself, he understands the situation. He said that students can pick up weekend shifts according to their availability. 

“Nobody wants to miss out on the weekends,” Navarrete said. “But it’s probably the best time you have to put up some hours.”

While Navarette is busy, he understands that he willingly signed up to work for ACES.

“There’s a lot on my plate, but I still show up. I still commit to it,” Navarrete said.

He also mentioned that since weekend shifts change based on student availability, there shouldn’t be so many issues with students not showing up. 

“If the day arrives, and you’re not able to be there,” Navarrete said, “you know, that makes no sense.”

However, because it is still the beginning of the year, Navarrete said that ACES has started on another round of hiring.

One change between this year and last is the addition of biweekly meetings with Chief Tom Phillis, head of public safety. “We give reports,” Navarrete said, “and say this happened, how should we handle it?”

“He’s been on top of ACES way more than he has in previous years,” Navarrete said.