Co-presidents for Safe Ride Nina Brown and Natalie Truong asked the Board of Aldermen to consider partnering with the University’s Safe Ride program during a public board meeting Tuesday night. Brown said the co-presidents are excited the city is considering forming a partnership with the program.
Photo by: Taylor Bennett
According to Brown, the operations and logistics of the buses will be handled by the Oxford University Transit system (OUT), but Safe Ride will provide advice on behalf of the student body, pledge to contribute fundraising and continue to encourage students to make smart decisions when alcohol is involved.
“Extending the OUT bus hours for the weekend as a part of Safe Ride will really benefit the students and the city,” Brown said. “It will encourage students to make smart decisions and will cut down on the parking issues on the Square at night.”
Oxford City Clerk Lisa Carwyle said she believes the most import outcome of the partnership will be the installation of a reliable and ongoing option for students within the OUT shuttle system, providing a continuous service for students.
Mayor Patterson requested a commitment of at least $10,000 to be met by the program per year. Truong said several fundraising campaigns will be held during the Spring semester, including a letter writing campaign held by EDHE students, an online donation link provided by the program and an Alcohol Awareness Week sponsored by Safe Ride.
During the fall semester, Safe Ride employed the services of Cline Tours, running 3 busses during 12 weekends, and raised over $8,000 in support of its services.
The logistics of future Safe Ride and OUT bus services will be determined after the board votes on the partnership and a proposal will be posted online.
