The student government finance committee voted Thursday to reinstate funding for SAFEcab, a campus transportation service that provides late-night cab rides despite new difficulties in finding management for the service.
The Student Services Finance Committee decided to continue delegating funds to the SAFEcab service, reversing the decision the committee made in late March, when concerns over cost inefficiencies and declining use prompted SSFC to suspend the programs funding.
SSFC Representative and Student Transportation Board member Laura Checovich said she received e-mails from many students who expressed concern over the lack of safe transportation if SAFEcab is no longer an option.
Checovich said the committee should find a way to fund SAFEcab, saying the problem with the management could be worked out in the future.
“This is about providing the service and making sure that the students are getting what they need,” Checovich said.
Transportation Services, the organization in charge of the UW-Madison bus system and parking meters, said in an e-mail to the SSFC even if the committee decided to reinstate funding for SAFEcab, Transportation Services would not continue to manage the program. Transportation Services, operating under a million dollar budget deficit said SAFEcab was too cost ineffective a program to keep in existence.
By voting to continue to fund SAFEcab, SSFC needs to find a way to manage the call center responsible for fielding calls from students with Union Cab, the company contracted by UW to operate the service.
Checovich said in a statement that by discontinuing to manage SAFEcab, Transportation Services impedes on students’ ability to determine where their student fees go.
“Students have made it clear that this program is a priority and the University is blocking us,” Checovich said.
