STRIPES, MU’s safe-ride program, reported a slightly lower number of requested rides for Friday and Saturday, attributing the decrease to weather-related concerns.

There were 450 rides given over the two days of operations. STRIPES spokesman Andrew Worrall said in an e-mail that numbers vary from weekend to weekend but that STRIPES usually is requested for 300 rides per night.

“This past weekend, I think the weather may have kept more students at home,” Worrall said.

He said aside from a car getting stuck Friday night, there were no other weather-related problems. STRIPES Director Jeri Pautler said she thought the weekend operation nights went fine.

Last Thursday, Jan. 20, was set to be STRIPES first night of operations for the semester, but the group cancelled their drives Thursday due to the snowstorm threatening Columbia that day.

Worrall said road conditions last Thursday night were not safe for its volunteer student drivers to be out driving

The snowstorm brought more than 6 inches of snow to Columbia. Worrall said many streets in subdivisions were not plowed before 10 p.m., when STRIPES usually starts its operations for the night.
 
“We’re always concerned about safety; it’s our number one priority,” Worrall said.
 
Worrall said he made the initial decision to cancel operations Thursday night and Pautler later confirmed.
 
“We also have to consider that our members have to travel to and from the STRIPES house throughout the night, and then get home after operations are completed,” Worrall said.

It was not the first time STRIPES called off service. STRIPES had been canceled previously for other weather-related concerns. Worrall said they would do the same thing for extremely heavy rain, extreme cold or heat and natural disasters.

He said STRIPES had also cancelled operations before due to a lack of drivers, but this was before the system was changed to a member-based organization.