The Washington College SafeRide Organization announced the return of the service to students in a Nov. 29 email. Safe Ride will be conduct a test run from Nov. 30 through Dec. 10 “to determine the usefulness and functionality of the program,” according to the email.
The email included Safe Ride’s hours; the service will be available for students seven days a week. The hours are Sundays to Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdown of on-campus classes in spring 2020, SafeRide has not been available to students. However, after a campus-wide announcement that SafeRide was open for driver applications on Sept. 9, it became clear SafeRide may return this semester.
“Over the entirety of this semester, the SafeRide executive board has been hard at work rebuilding and restoring the SafeRide initiative into a functional state,” the Nov. 29 email said.
As SafeRide was not available for most of this semester, some students may not have used it before. The announcement included step-by-step instructions for how students can utilize the Safe Ride.
After calling (410) 810-7433, students must provide the following information: their first name, phone number, where they would like to be picked up from, where they would like to be dropped off, and how many additional students will be joining.
Students must then wait inside or near a safe location until the SafeRide driver calls upon their arrival. According to the email, it is strongly recommended that students watch their phones in anticipation of this call.
Students then open the van door and should remain calm in their seats for the duration of the journey.
According to the email, in correspondence with campus-wide COVID-19 safety protocols, masks are now required to be worn inside the SafeRide vans.
“The goal of SafeRide is to provide free, accessible, and safe transportation to all students at WC on and around campus. Please be respectful to all our workers and mindful of your peers and surroundings when using our service,” the email said.
Elm Archive Photo
Featured Photo Caption: After several months of rebuilding and restoration, the Washington College SafeRide Organization announced plans to do a trial run from Tuesday, Nov. 30 to Friday, Dec. 10 testing the abilities of the program.