While most students have seen them zipping around campus, few see golf carts for the injured as anything more than luxury items for varsity athletes. In fact, not many students understand the process behind golf cart rentals.
A student agency began to issue Motorized Transport Vehicles (MTVs) in 1998. When the business become too cumbersome for the students to handle, it was taken over briefly by Public Safety.
Today, University Health Services issues golf carts to students.
The carts are rented to students who have been evaluated by a personal physician, trainer or a McCosh physician or triage nurse, and been determined to be suitable candidates.
Jan Runkle, the business manager of outpatient services at UHS, said she "doesn't try to make it difficult" for someone to acquire a cart, but the evaluation is to ensure that those who are renting the carts are really in need. Renters must also be reauthorized every two weeks, a policy instituted after two students told Runkle they had kept the carts longer than they needed.
The reauthorization also helps Runkle distribute MTVs when there is a waitlist.
"I've never had to take a cart away from a student, but if I did I want it to be fair," she said.
There are currently 11 carts available for rental at $100 a week, or $18 per day, lowered this year from $125 per week, or $20 per day.
According to Runkle, there has been a "high demand" for the vehicles "from the beginning of this year." She said she wants to reduce the cost as much as possible and still have money for maintenance and repairs.
One of the major contributions to the high cost of renting an MTV is student vandalism, Runkle said.
Azuka Chikwendu '07 said he is familiar with students vandalizing carts.
"One night when I took my golf cart out to the Street and left it in front on an eating club, one of my friends told me that a group of guys actually flipped the golf cart on its side," said Azuka Chikwendu '07.
The common misconception about renting golf carts is that most are athletes who receive the carts for free, Runkle said.
Only about one third of MTV renters are athletes, and they usually pay the same fees as non-athletes, she added.
However, some varsity sports have a "friends group" who, at the request of a coach, may consider paying the rental fee, Runkle said.
Last year, all athletes who requested help from a friends group were approved.
Chikwendu, who had a stress fracture in his foot from excessive running, the Athletic Department paid for his rental, which would have been over $1,000.
Students on foot or biking may view MTVs as a luxury, but some students who use the carts disagreed.
"It was convenient for getting around a little faster, but I would have much rather have been able to walk around without crutches," Chikwendu said.
For some injured students, an MTV is a necessity rather than a convenience.
Ariel Klainerman '07 rented an MTV last November because he had sprained his ankle playing frisbee.
"Especially in Forbes you really need a golf cart because there's no way to crutch to class. It takes an hour," he said.
While Klainerman said the MTV was fun to drive, it was not a status symbol — instead, "it was more of a pity symbol."
"Not being able to walk to class was more painful than having to drive to class," he added.
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