2008 Woodie Awards
Ride program gets test run
Caitlin Dean
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
With minimal public transportation available in Kirksville, Truman students soon will have one more option for safely returning home on weekend evenings.
The Student Senate Safe Rides pilot program, in development since fall 2007, is set to launch on Feb. 29. Safe Rides offers a free ride home for any Truman student on weekend nights and will be available for 10 nights this semester on a trial basis. Senate will evaluate Safe Rides after the pilot period to determine if it will leave space in next year's budget to fund the program. The only remaining hurdle for Safe Rides is a meeting between senator junior Chris Miller, who developed the program, and the University attorney, set to take place today.
"If the University general counsel says there is no risk from the standpoint of the University with this program, then it's ready to go, and all we need to do is start advertising and getting people to drive," Miller said.
For the first semester, Safe Rides will operate only one car each evening, which Senate will rent from Enterprise, Miller said. One male and one female Safe Rides worker will be in the car. Additionally, one worker will be stationed at headquarters to dispatch drivers, according to the Safe Rides administrative rules. Miller plans to speak with service organizations such as Blue Key and APO to recruit volunteers for the program.
The Safe Rides committee has estimated an operating cost of $1,500 for one semester, according to its
Please see RIDE, Page 7
Continued from Page 1
budget chart. Costs include car rental, car magnets, cell phones and advertising. Senate will fund the program out of remaining unbudgeted funds for the 2007-8 school year, said senator freshman JoEllen Flanagan. Passengers will not pay any fees for using the program, although Senate discussed the idea of charging passengers, Miller said.
"I held my ground on that and wouldn't let that happen," he said. "That goes away from the idea of the program to charge people money to use [it]."
The Student Senate Safe Rides pilot program, in development since fall 2007, is set to launch on Feb. 29. Safe Rides offers a free ride home for any Truman student on weekend nights and will be available for 10 nights this semester on a trial basis. Senate will evaluate Safe Rides after the pilot period to determine if it will leave space in next year's budget to fund the program. The only remaining hurdle for Safe Rides is a meeting between senator junior Chris Miller, who developed the program, and the University attorney, set to take place today.
"If the University general counsel says there is no risk from the standpoint of the University with this program, then it's ready to go, and all we need to do is start advertising and getting people to drive," Miller said.
For the first semester, Safe Rides will operate only one car each evening, which Senate will rent from Enterprise, Miller said. One male and one female Safe Rides worker will be in the car. Additionally, one worker will be stationed at headquarters to dispatch drivers, according to the Safe Rides administrative rules. Miller plans to speak with service organizations such as Blue Key and APO to recruit volunteers for the program.
The Safe Rides committee has estimated an operating cost of $1,500 for one semester, according to its
Please see RIDE, Page 7
Continued from Page 1
budget chart. Costs include car rental, car magnets, cell phones and advertising. Senate will fund the program out of remaining unbudgeted funds for the 2007-8 school year, said senator freshman JoEllen Flanagan. Passengers will not pay any fees for using the program, although Senate discussed the idea of charging passengers, Miller said.
"I held my ground on that and wouldn't let that happen," he said. "That goes away from the idea of the program to charge people money to use [it]."
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