SLO Safe Ride and Cal Poly’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) have reached an agreement to give fraternity members discounted rides on Thursday and Friday nights.
Each fraternity member will pay a quarterly fee of $5, which gives them a card to use SLO Safe Ride’s shuttles from downtown to various locations on weekends, as well as discounts for specific items at selected restaurants and bars downtown. This deal went into effect Jan. 7.
The partnership was attempted last spring, but due to complications, it was put on hold.
The 2014-15 IFC president and mechanical engineering senior Alex Campbell said during spring there was trouble collecting rosters and payments from fraternities. He said there were also complications with printing the wristbands and cards.
“The intent was there,” said Campbell, “It was just poor execution. It turned out to be a trial period for us.”
Campbell said that during spring, IFC tried to do too much at once when working out the agreement, and that this time they are trying to simplify the partnership.
In addition to getting discounted rides for themselves, fraternity members will be able to give a free ride to any guest that comes along with them.
Owner and co-founder of SLO Safe Ride Mike Linn said that his company made this part of the deal so people who weren’t fraternity members could benefit from the partnership as well. Linn said this “plus one” deal was added because a partnership with Panhellenic fell through.
Last year, the Panhellenic Council and each sorority chapter president voted on the possible partnership with SLO Safe Ride.
Panhellenic president and psychology junior Michelle Georgette said that though everyone seemed on board with the proposition, a few chapters’ national organizations thought the deal implied drinking. Therefore, the chapters without approval from their nationals could not vote “yes” on the deal, and ultimately Panhellenic backed out.
“In the future, I definitely think it would be great if we worked with them, but right now I don’t see that being one of our new business items. However, I think SLO Safe Ride is a great option and I support IFC partnering with them,” Georgette said.
Ultimately, Linn said that their partnership with IFC was a good idea because “it gives (them) an opportunity to make the right choice every night without having to weigh in on a monetary side, which is often the limiting factor of people looking to get a safe ride home.”
Campbell said that though some fraternity members may be hesitant about the deal because of the complications last spring, overall most are excited.
“I think it will go well and I think it’s a good deal for us. Hopefully it’s a good deal for SLO Safe Ride, too,” Campbell said.