Provide-a-Ride will be more successful this year if the Student Government Association has anything to say about it.

Both SGA President Billy Stephens and Jennifer Tougas, director of Park- ing and Transportation, are working hard to create an effective    Provide-a-Ride system.

Provide-a-Ride is a transportation service that gives students someone to call if they are intoxicated and unable to drive.

“One of my main things right now is to focus on Provide-a-Ride, especially at the start of the year,” Ste- phens said. “We are actu- ally looking at totally revis- ing all of Provide-a-Ride.”

Stephens said the prob- lems with the program last year stemmed from the car service that provided the rides, Franklin Taxi. Both Stephens and Tougas said the car service was often an

hour and a half or even two hours late.

There were also com- plaints that students’ phone calls were ignored or they did not receive the ride they requested.

Franklin Taxi is no lon- ger affiliated with WKU and the contract with them has been terminated.

Stephens said that he will try his best to establish a Provide-a-Ride program before the end of the se- mester, but he hopes to do it sooner.

“I don’t want a single student to drive if they are intoxicated,” he said.

SGA is also looking at establishing informative programs.

These programs would encourage students to have a designated driver and also talk about drinking and driving. SGA would like to visit dorms and approach organizations to inform ev- eryone so that they can help spread the word.

Jane Wood, the SGA public relations director,

said they plan on using “word of mouth advertis- ing” as well as other forms of promotion.

“We’re going to adver- tise a lot on Western’s web- site,” she said.

Stephens said SGA is currently taking bids on the program’s contract.

Tougas said no favor- able bids have been re- ceived so far.

“At the moment, we do not have a Provide-a-Ride service for the beginning of the semester,” Tougas said.

SGA provides $30,000 for Provide-a-Ride, but the program might cost more with a new contract, and in that case, SGA would not be able to fund it entirely on its own.

Stephens hopes to have some sort of awareness program to promote Pro- vide-a-Ride set up in the next six weeks.

“Not only does it help the students, it helps all the drivers in Bowling Green,” he said.