Strathmore Safe Rides may continue service

During the last month of spring quarter, UCLA students lined up at the intersection of Gayley and Landfair avenues to get a ride home from Strathmore Safe Rides.

The van system, implemented by Undergraduate Students Association Council Internal Vice President Stephanie Lucas, was a pilot program to provide safe rides to students after 11 p.m., when the Community Service Officer Evening Van Service stopped.

On Friday, Lucas will apply to receive funding from USAC to make Strathmore Safe Rides a permanent program.

If approved, the van system will start up immediately and run on Thursday nights from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Although Lucas said she is not concerned about receiving funding, a larger concern is getting approval from the CSO program.

“Since it’s their vans and their employees, we need their approval that they want to extend their hours,” she said. “The issue is finding student workers that are willing to drive around that late. It’s a bit more difficult than you’d expect.”
CSO’s involvement in the program this year is dependent on staffing, said Matt Ellis, CSO manager.

Because it is a difficult time for CSO in terms of staffing, Ellis said they may not necessarily be the best organization to staff the rides.

While the van system faced inappropriate behavior from some students who were driven last year, Lucas said they are figuring out a way to maintain professionalism between drivers and students.

“We’re trying to find some type of liability acknowledgment. For some reason, when we think about students signing a waiver before sitting, it’s not really tangible,” she said. “We’re thinking of some type of electronic binding contract saying that they won’t allow harassing, and acknowledge that they have respect and accountability for the program. “

After studying abroad and using an evening van service, Lucas said she felt UCLA’s students needed a similar option.

“People are always going to go out,” said Jenan Shukry, a first-year anthropology student. “It’s a good option to (provide rides).”

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