[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]University of Wisconsin Transportation Services and Associated Students of Madison began preliminary negotiations to continue to provide SAFEride cab services through the end of this fiscal year.

As it currently stands, there is no source of funding or administrative support for the program after July.

One option discussed to save SAFEride cab, according to the UW Transportation Services and ASM representatives who met, was for ASM to fully fund the program with student segregated fees and for UW to provide administrative support.

"We're still willing to partner [with ASM]," said UW Transportation Services Director Larry Lunsway, who met with ASM Vice Chair and SAFE campaign coordinator Dylan Rath over winter break. "It was a conversation to look at what we can do."

Last semester, UW Transportation Services and ASM debated how to fund the campus-security programs provided by SAFE Nighttime Services — SAFEride cab, SAFEwalk, and SAFE bus.

The services were originally funded by a combination of segregated-fee money and funds from UW.

The two organizations, however, disagreed over the value of SAFEride cab and SAFEwalk to students and the university, and also on how much funding each service should receive.

ASM wanted to cut funding for SAFEwalk, while UW Transportation Services wanted the funding to continue at its previous levels.

The dispute resulted in ASM deciding last December to provide no funding for SAFEride cab and SAFEwalk from student segregated fees for the next fiscal year.

At the time, ASM representatives said they hoped to establish a student-run cab service.

Both Lunsway and Rath, however, said they hoped to resolve the current situation and continue to provide SAFEride cab services through the end of this fiscal year.

"I really think we will be able to work it out with UW Transportation Services," Rath said. "We both want to make it a win-win situation."

Rath added that ASM does not have a backup plan to provide a service similar to SAFEride cab should negotiations with Transportation Services fall through.

If the negotiations do not result in a new plan, there will be no SAFEride cab service after July.

UW Transportation Services would fund SAFEwalk completely and would split funding for SAFE bus with ASM.

All SAFE Nighttime Services will continue normally through the end of the semester, since any changes will go into effect at the end of the current fiscal year.

Rath said he plans to meet with Lunsway again early next week to continue the negotiations.