Earlier this semester, organizers of the popular free ride program Wildcat Wheels did a trial run of extended hours on the weekends. This is thanks to the urging of WSC Student Senate President Matt Mullins.

Wildcat Wheels, also known as the Safe Ride Program, was formed by the Toward Responsible Use of Substances Today (TRUST) Coalition in 2005 and has been running consistently ever since. Kathy Mohlfeld, a counselor at Wayne State College, is the adviser of the TRUST Coalition. Wildcat Wheels usually runs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the hours were temporarily extended through Friday and Saturday to see if it would be beneficial to the students to have the service active on weekends.

“Wildcat Wheels is for much more than getting home from a party,” Mohlfeld said. “You can use it if you had a bad date, stayed out too late, want to go on a food run or just get to your car. Its main purpose is to reduce drunk driving, but it’s paid for with student fees so really anyone can use it.”

Wildcat Wheels does have a policy in place that no food runs will take place after 12:30 a.m. so the drivers can focus on getting students safely back after a party. While there has been no direct proof that the Safe Ride Program has saved lives, police and administrators believe that it has had a positive impact on reducing the numbers of students driving intoxicated.

“I’ve never used the service, but friends have,” Wayne State College junior Taylor Penn said. “I think it’s a smart way to keep people from driving drunk.”
To get a ride from Wildcat Wheels, call (402) 375-7590 and have your WSC college ID ready when they pick you up.

“It’s one of those programs that not all colleges have,” Mohlfeld said. “I’m hopeful students are thankful for it and are able to use it responsibly.”

Aside from Wildcat Wheels, the TRUST Coalition is heavily involved in raising awareness about drug and alcohol abuse and how that can have an impact on a student’s academic career and life. Mohlfeld has cards in her office in the Counseling Center that are personalized based on a student’s sex and weight so they can know how much alcohol they can safely consume to avoid risk of injury or death.

The TRUST Coalition holds meetings that discuss common issues with drugs and alcohol on campus. The next meeting is today at 4 p.m. in room 103 of the Kanter Student Center.