Cougar Shuttle has begun it’s trial run, and depending on it’s success, may replace Safe Ride. “Service for Cougar Shuttle will be provided by the Charleston Executive, which is a 24 hour shuttle service,” said Dean of Students Evy Nadel. Charleston Executive is a privately owned business that has agreed to aid the College. When students call Cougar Shuttle, the driver will be able to tell the student approximately how long it will take him to arrive at their point of picking up the shuttle, Nadel said. “[The owner] and his wife are always concerned about the well being of young people and he hoped this would provide a beneficial service for our students,” Nadel said. Though Charleston Executive is helping C of C now, it was not the company that runs Safe Ride. Safe ride was created to aid students in need of transportation, however many complained of it’s ineffectiveness. “Last year students would have to wait up to an hour and a half,” said Student Body President, John Capelle. The purpose of Safe Ride was to give C of C students free transportation anywhere downtown at night when they had no other mode of transportation or they felt uncomfortable taking themselves to their next destination. When it appeared that Safe Ride was no longer effectively and safely transporting students, the Cougar Shuttle was created. “The Cougar Shuttle is a direct result of the recommendations that were made by the Clean Slate Committee,” said Nadel. The Clean Slate Committee was established to address ways in which the city and the college can work together to allow [the] students to feel safer,” Nadel said. The new Cougar Shuttle is not only supported by people involved with the clean slate committee, but also several students on campus. Freshman Rashida Beach feels that the Cougar Shuttle is a better idea than Safe Ride. “I think it’s going to be more reliable and more reasonable,” said Beach. Faculty members also feel that the Cougar Shuttle will be beneficial. “President Benson is [an] avid supporter of the shuttle and he urged all of us to make sure this [happened], Nadel said. “And Executive Vice President Victor Wilson is a staunch supporter of anything that provides service to our students.” Nadel is supportive of the students on the Clean Slate Committee and their idea. “I am excited about the Cougar Shuttle because the idea came from the students and we promised the students that sat on the Clean Slate Committee that their voices would be heard,” said Nadel. To test out the new service, Cougar Shuttle will be running on a trial period for 10 weeks. “The Cougar Shuttle during this 10 week pilot program will travel the peninsula only on Friday and Saturday nights, from 11:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. giving students rides,” said Nadel. There are also several differences between Safe Ride and Cougar Shuttle. “Safe Ride vehicles are taxicabs that pick up other riders during the evenings they operate,” Nadel. Cougar Shuttle will only be for CofC students and can charter larger numbers of students at a time. Safe Ride will continue to run during the trial period of the Cougar Shuttle. For any student who would like to take advantage of this opportunity, the number for Cougar Shuttle is (888- 960-2227).