Personal safety is an obvious concern for the University community, and at Safe Ride, we believe that everyone has a right to feel safe in their community. Safe Ride offers free, nondiscriminatory, reservation-based rides to University students, staff and faculty seven nights a week while classes are in session. Using Safe Ride is easy, and our vans are a viable and reliable option for University community members traveling at night alone or in groups of three or fewer. Safe Ride gives rides from 6 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday while the University is in session for fall term, and we’ll be running those same hours winter term. For spring term, Safe Ride begins at 7 p.m. and runs until the same closing hours.
We know and hold that the only person who can prevent assault is the perpetrator themselves, but we are aware of that all-too-common feeling many people of all genders feel when walking alone at night — the need to walk faster, to hold your keys, to have your cell phone handy. Safe Ride exists to mitigate this feeling and give University community members more options for safe travel.
Many people are surprised to find that we cover a wide area of Eugene, from 40th Street in the south to City View in the west, Augusta in the east, and Cal Young Road in the north. We travel to the Whiteaker, the Kinsrow apartments, the Valley River and Oakway Centers and even to Gateway Mall. It is even possible to set up status as an exception rider and use Safe Ride to travel to or from your home or workplace outside of our regular boundaries.
Our service is run by a student staff of 15 dispatchers and an incredible group of over 40 volunteers who give their time to help keep our university safe. We ask that volunteers pick one two-hour shift a week where they will be either driving or navigating one of our vans. It’s a great way to get volunteer experience while getting to know the Eugene area a little better, and volunteers can choose to partner with a friend for their volunteer shift. Volunteers are always welcome and needed!
Making a reservation couldn’t be easier: Simply call (541) 346-RIDE, ext. 2, and provide your name; pick-up and drop-off locations; University ID number; number of riders and contact phone number. We accept ride reservations during our open hours, and people are also welcome to call ahead during the day they want their ride and leave a reservation on our voice mail.
Safe Ride services are completely confidential, and we never share personal details about our riders. Our mission is to give people a safe option for travel, no matter what the reason is behind the ride. Your destination is your business! You deserve to feel safe in your community, and Safe Ride is here to help!
Emily Balloun
Safe Ride education coordinator