January 29, 2013
Contact: Akshay Kapoor
Contact Phone: 413/545-1287
Email:sga.president@stuaf.umass.edu
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
DATE: Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013
TIME: 1:15am
The Student Govt. Association will be starting its Sober Shuttle Program this Thursday, January 31st. The program will begin Thursday and will run until the end of the academic semester. The initiative plans to provide a safe and free alternative for students present in the Downtown area on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
The Sober Shuttle Program was created and implemented by Akshay Kapoor in the Spring of 2012 and this night will mark the first day of service for the initiative. The evening will reveal the UMass Transit busses used by the program, staffed by student drivers and an officer from the UMass Police Department.
The busses will run routes at 1:20am and 2:00am, with a pickup in downtown Amherst and 7 drop off locations dispersed among the UMass Campus and North Amherst.
Key points about the Sober Shuttle Program Include
- Completely exclusive and funded by UMass Students
- Cost per student for FY13 was $1.05 per semester
- Sponsored and created by The SGA Presidents Office
- Use of PVTA Busses, UMPD officers, and Student Drivers
Akshay Kapoor, President of the Student Govt. and creator of the program, says, “the need for a program of this nature has never been greater at the University. It is my hope that this program will curb drinking and driving in the Amherst community and potentially save many lives…we plan to expand this program in the next two years to encompass a greater area densely populated by students”. In this process he also hopes to “ease some of the tensions that exist between the University and its students with the Town of Amherst”
Contact: Akshay Kapoor, President, Student Govt. Association, 413/545-1287; 5-0423
The University of Massachusetts Student Govt. and SGA Presidents Office will be available that day for any questions. Interviews and bus visuals can also be arranged if requested.