The Uber newsroom announced a rideshare safety campaign on Jan. 27 in collaboration with the national organization It’s On Us to bring rideshare safety education to campuses across the country. 

Uber and It’s On Us selected 10 college campuses to receive safety tips and an incentive for the month of February. St. Edward’s University was one of the campuses selected for the campaign.

“With this initiative (Uber and It’s On Us) provided a lot of safety tips and informational statements about how to go out safely and things to remember, like sticking together, notifying (friends) if you’re leaving or going somewhere, checking the (license) plates and the driver’s photos,” Adoree Benke, president of the St. Edward’s It’s On Us chapter, said.

Other tips include using the “Verify Your Ride” feature that gives the passenger a pin only the correct Uber driver will know and tapping on the “safety shield” feature that pairs you with a trained agent from ADT, the home security company, via phone call or text. If the situation worsens, the agent will contact 911. 

As a part of the campaign, students also have the chance to receive a $10 Uber voucher after they interact with the social media posts on the chapter’s Instagram. The campaign began on Feb. 1, but the recent winter storm delayed the chapter from kickstarting the initiative. The vouchers expire on Feb. 27.

 “We’ve partnered with Uber for a few years to educate on rideshare safety,” Executive Director of It’s On Us Tracey Vitchers said. “A lot of students don’t know about Uber safety information and what services are available to them.  This new campaign collaboration (involves) a series of informative posters with a QR code at the end about safety tips in the (Uber) app.” 

The St. Edward’s It’s On Us chapter was selected as one of the 10 college campuses based on recommendations of where the national organization felt they had active chapters, according to Vitchers. The national organization received $5,000 in vouchers from Uber (500 $10 vouchers).

“St. Edward’s has had one of our most active chapters (for) It’s On Us in the country, and we’re so proud of the work they do,” Vitchers said. 

In September 2014, It’s On Us was founded as an Obama-Biden White House initiative to prevent sexual assault in colleges. The nonprofit program now raises awareness throughout their national chapters. The St. Edward’s It’s On Us chapter has been active since 2016. 

The campus’s chapter will host their annual Take Back the Night on Thursday, Apr. 1, a night dedicated to breaking the silence around sexual and dating violence.