Although the SafeRide contract between the St. Thomas University Students’ Union and the University of New Brunswick Student Union has been renegotiated, the only change is an improvement in communication.
Jimy Beltran, STUSU vice-president student life, said he thinks a stronger relationship between STUSU’s vice-president student life and UNBSU’s vice-president student life will improve the service.
“[It’s about] having that constant communication outside of the contract. It relates more about how [executives] interact,” Beltran told The Aquinian.
Brian Tozer is this year’s vice-president student life for UNBSU. As the liason between the Unions, he will update Beltran with cancellations so he can let STU students know. UNB’s Benjamin Palmer and STU’s Wasiimah Joomun are next year’s executives who will oversee the SafeRide agreement.
STUSU’s president Philippe Ferland said he’s happy with the updated agreement.
“There wasn’t really anything to change,” Ferland said.
STU first signed a contract with UNB’s SafeRide service in the fall of 2011, opting out of its personal SafeWheels contract for a cheaper program that ran, at that time, six hours a day per six days a week.
SafeRide is an important resource for students, Beltran said, as it allows them to do grocery runs and transport around the city.
“It’s a very important service we offer and not a lot of universities have it,” he said.
SafeRide started operating three vans instead of two in September 2017 and now it also provides service to New Brunswick Community College.
It also stops at James Dunn Hall every 15 minutes now rather than every half hour.
Beltran and Ferland hope the constant communication will help improve long-standing issues with SafeRide, like wait times and late night confusion.
The new contract will last until April 30, 2019.
