After weeks of planning, strategizing and construction, the Saint Louis University Ride Board and Transportation Center has arrived in the Busch Student Center.
The ideology behind the ride board, according to Student Government Flats at 374 senator Dustin Paluch, is to provide SLU students with a centralized location for finding transportation to a variety of places.
“[The board] will let students find a ride without having to be really good friends with someone who has a car,” Paluch said, who modeled the SLU version after a similar project at Drake University.
The board and transportation center consists of a map of the United States that is divided into seven regions. Each region is a combination of states in a general area that will provide for easy organization of carpool requests.
Along with the map, there is information regarding other modes of transportation such as: Megabus, Amtrak, Greyhound bus lines, St. Louis International Airport and St. Louis Metro transit options.
Though creation of board and transportation center was an initiative that Paluch brainstormed and set out as a personal goal to instate here at SLU, he worked with many different people to bring his goal to fruition.
“As a student center we want to be supportive of any student initiative that will have a positive effect on the student body,” Chris Grabau, manger of the BSC, said.
Grabau had been working with Paluch for about a month in order to plan the location of the board and to utilize a small budget to acquire materials. According to Grabau, the BSC covered all costs for the needed materials.
After obtaining a home for the ride board, Paluch tackled the legality aspect.
“I worked with Scott Smith in order to settle all the legal issues,” said Paluch.
In order to prevent any legal implications that could be targeted toward the University, the BSC or SGA, liability waivers must be signed in order for students to utilize the ride board.
“Students provide all the information and students call up each other to meet beforehand,” said Paluch, who also expressed that SGA is not responsible for connecting students who are interested in carpooling.
While SGA is taking a hands-off approach in terms of setting up carpools or transportation arrangements for students they, specifically the Civic Affairs committee, will ensure the maintenance of the board.
“As a committee we are in charge of a variety of student development campaigns, such as Fixing the Little Things,” John Cook School of Business senator and Civic Affairs committee co-chair Grant Podolski said.
Podolski expressed that the ride board will be a slightly different campaign that they are in charge of but they will still ensure that everything is properly maintained. The duty to overview the board was brought about by a resolution passed earlier this semester during an SGA senate meeting.
“This is for the betterment of the SLU community,” Podolski said. “I do think it will be utilized.”
Student usage of the ride board can be estimated with its virtual counterpart. A Facebook page has been up and running since earlier this semester and has 321 people who “like” the page. The online board will no longer be active once the board officially starts, which is scheduled for Nov. 18.
Paluch, along with SGA, is happy to begin providing students another method of transportation home; however, he does realize that local transportation is also a demand.
The ride board is also intended to provide students carpooling to the Medical Campus, of which transportation will be even more of a concern once the Grand Bridge closes, Paluch expressed.
“Grocery shopping as well will be a focus,” Paluch said. The slips of paper, which students fill out illustrating interest in either drivers or passengers, will also have places to denote need for local transport to grocery and other stores. This was an addition to the ride board that Paluch stressed to be included.
The ride board is located on the second floor of the BSC, next to the Cross Cultural Center.
“It’s a great idea that hopefully students will take advantage of,” said Paluch.
