Safe ride service back after financial stall

by Megan O’Connell

The safe rides program was started last April and continued to the end of the semester, but was not in existence for the start of this year. Fortunately, after funding was approved from the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Finance Board, the program is back up and running.

The safe rides program is a taxi cab service that will pick up Rider students and give them a safe ride to campus, with all expenses paid by Rider.  All that students have to do is show the cab driver their Rider IDs.  The service is provided by Yellow Cab, the largest cab company in Mercer County.  They will pick students up anywhere in Trenton, Lawrenceville and Ewing.  Students can take advantage of this program any day, any time; all they have to do is simply call Yellow Cab at (609) 396-8181.

According to substance abuse prevention specialist Mark Fisher, students really took advantage of the program last year and are expected to again this year. Fisher called it “a very valuable program.” 

Fisher and SGA both agree that, with the new, stricter drinking policies on campus, a lot of students are driven away to drink off campus.

Safe rides provides an outlet for these students to drink and get back to Rider safely.  Students agree that the program is a positive thing.

“I think it’s an important program to have because it takes away from students drinking and driving,” said freshman Jenn Lupnacca. 

The program can be used in any situation to get back to campus, not just if you are under the influence. Fisher said they plan on finding funding over the summer in preparation for next year because it takes a while for the whole process to go through.  This way, the program can be started first thing when students come back for the fall 2009 semester.

Today is ‘Safe Rides Day’ at Daly’s. You can pick up your Safe Rides card between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.