Although University of Wisconsin student government voted to keep the campus cab ride service in place, UW Transportation Services has discontinued the service.
According to a UW statement, the last night SAFEride Cab rides were offered through the end of June. Although SAFEcab will be discontinued, the statement said students can still take advantage of the SAFEwalk program and the campus bus system in the future.
Associated Students of Madison Chief of Staff Sarah Neibart said the decision to discontinue SAFEcab was not an executive one made by Student Council, but that it came down to a decision from the administration. She added that they decided not to administer the program at the end of last semester.
“Students were willing to put the funds toward the program but the administration did not want to administer it,” Neibart said. “They didn’t want to put the effort toward it.”
According to Neibart, the Student Services Finance Committee was originally hesitant about funding the program and questioned its effectiveness, but ultimately decided that they wanted to fund it last semester.
Neibart said she encourages students to take advantage of the SAFEbus and SAFEwalk programs, as well as many of the cabs and buses around Madison.
“I think that when it comes down to it, the students that utilize this program are going to be disappointed that it no longer exists, but there are other avenues and there are abilities for students to reinstate it in the future,” Neibart said. “It gives us an opportunity to move forward and make SAFE programs more effective and efficient.”
Chair of ASM Nominations Board Sean McNally said students should be aware that ASM will address campus safety in its 19th session and should look for developments in that area.
He said although the decision to discontinue SAFEcab is a highly complex issue with a “multitude of organization,” it is possible for the student body to get the program back if they choose to do so.
“I don’t think anything is impossible,” McNally said. “This is the student government so what the students want, the students are going to get.”
