The ASUCSD Office of Finance and Resources is limiting the hours and number of rides provided by Safe Rides for Winter Quarter 2018.
Students may now redeem two $10 rides, down from three, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday. Previously, students could redeem three rides between the hours of 6:00 p.m. amd 3:00 a.m. seven days a week. The changes come after the program’s $12,000 Fall Quarter budget was expended in two and a half weeks.
The Office of Finance and Resources attributes the rapid depletion of funds to student misuse of the program.
“We want it to be used for the intended purpose…providing an opportunity for students too intoxicated to get a ride,” said ASUCSD Financial Controller Andrew Thai. “We realized students had used it for purposes not adhering to the program’s purpose such as getting a ride home after class or from the library.”
Safe Rides is described online as strictly a program providing a safe ride for students when needed. Thai said that the language regarding Safe Rides would be updated to clarify what the ASUCSD Enterprise Office believes is its intended purpose.
This is Safe Rides’ sixth quarter in operation and second in collaboration with Lyft. It will be the first quarter with two subsidized rides, instead of three for the quarter.
Mo Al Elew is an Assistant News Editor at The Triton. You can follow him @SoloMune.