Since its implementation Feb. 17, about 50 people have signed up for the new STRIPES texting service, spokesman Andrew Worrall said.
The text service sends students updates and special announcements about operating hours for the free safe-ride program for students.
This service was recently discovered at a conference STRIPES representatives attended.
“We just got back from a national conference in Detroit, Michigan for nationwide programs like STRIPES,” Worrall said. “We are part of a national association of programs called Safe Ride Programs United. We talked about what does and doesn’t work for our programs.”
The website STRIPES and other safe-ride programs are using to implement their text service is called rainedout.com, a site specializing in mass text messages.
“A dad originally started this website because he was tired of never knowing if his kid’s soccer games were on or off because of the weather,” STRIPES Director Jeri Pautler said.
The website has since been expanded to other programs, Worrall said.
About 50 people have signed up to receive alerts so far, Worrall said.
The texting service is used to keep students aware of STRIPES’s operating hours and any special announcements STRIPES feels it should share.
“People sign up online and they give their number to receive texts,” Pautler said. “We send alerts letting people know if we’re not running because of the weather and reminders to call us when we are running.”
Text messages reminding students to call in if they need a ride will also be sent, Pautler said.
STRIPES will use its Facebook group as well as other means to advertise its new technological feature, Worrall said.
“It will hopefully spread by word of mouth,” Worrall said. “STRIPES has been added to the iPhone and Android app goMizzou. We’re really excited about it.”
The goMizzou app gives the hours STRIPES is operating, the phone number to call for a ride and tells whether STRIPES is operating at that moment.
Pautler said she has talked to Missouri Students Association President Eric Woods about advertising the new texting service in the MSA Monthly.
STRIPES is thankful for all the support it has received, Worrall said.
Former MSA President Tim Noce and current President Eric Woods have been incredibly supportive and helpful in this endeavor,” Worrall said. “We’re also fortunate to have former STRIPES Assistant Director Josh Kendrick on the team developing the app.”
Students can sign up to receive alerts and messages from STRIPES by going to its Facebook page and clicking on the posted link. Students only need to provide is their phone number to sign up.