Public Safety adds Toyota Prius to fleet

Students working lockout for the Department of Public Safety recently began driving a new white Toyota Prius — temporarily nicknamed the "lock-it rocket" — following the retirement of the office's Ford Explorer.

The Prius follows a trend within the Department of Public Safety of using smaller and more efficient cars. The patrol cars, which were once Ford Crown Victorias, are now Chevy Impalas while the P-Rides vehicles, once 15-passenger vans, are now smaller and family-sized.

"We have tried to move to vehicles that are greener and more appropriate for our campus environment," Director of Public Safety Steven Healy said.

The new car only assumed its position at the University last week because its braking mechanisms make it unsafe to drive on icy roads.

The introduction of the Prius has even mixed up the routine at 200 Elm Drive.

"The lockout shifts are going to go so fast now because everyone just wants to drive it," Fiona Miller '09, a student lockout worker, said.

On a recent Wednesday evening, as call collectors answered the rapid ticking of the P-Rides telephone and as uniformed officers walked in and out of the tall, newly renovated building across from Bloomberg Hall, Chris Hearne '09 got a tutorial on how to operate the vehicle. Drivers must press a button to start the ignition and put the car in park.

Healy agreed that there was a new sense of enthusiasm.

"A couple student managers were talking about what they were going to name it, so there seems to be some excitement about it," Healy said.

With the novelty wearing off, though, some students are unimpressed with the Prius.

Along with its braking difficulties, students cited its modest appearance as cause for disappointment.

"It's like driving a Tonka Truck," Hearne said.

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"The wheels are, like, that high," Wei Xiang '07 said, holding his index finger and thumb an inch apart.

Josh Perry '06 described the Prius as "the white Pac-Man."

It is true that the Prius does not measure up to the Explorer in stature. It is a small, white sedan with a slightly irregular shape and, as Xiang pointed out, very small wheels.

The retired Explorer was equipped with standard patrol accoutrements. The Prius, on the other hand, is out of commission when roads get slippery and suffers from lights that have, on occasion, turned off for no apparent reason.

"It doesn't convey a sense of power that's needed," Xiang said. "Part of enforcement is intimidation. If you look at the Prius, just by its outward appearance, it looks kind of like a joke."

Miller, however, prefers the small size and irregular shape to the intimidating, powerful Explorer.

"It is more environmentally friendly," Miller said. "It's a really nice drive. I'm used to driving the Explorer and that was a big bold chunky car and this is a cute little smooth thing."