In response to the London transit strike, Western has implemented a program to help students get to and from campus.

“Mustangs moving Mustangs” is a program launched in a partnership between the University and the University Students’ Council. From car pools to biking tips, it offers information and tools meant to assist students in dealing with the bus strike.

One initiative is “Flag a Ride.” Students who need a ride or those interested in providing rides can visit InfoSource in the University Community Centre to receive a “Flag a Ride” sign.

According to Emily Rowe, president of the USC, registrants will have to swipe their Western One card in order to receive a sign. Student IDs will be matched with an identification number, appearing on the card.

Rowe mentioned students, staff and faculty can hang the card from their backpacks, place it in their cars or use it to flag down a ride.

She suggested passengers and drivers exchange identification numbers. “It’s a safety precaution,” Rowe said. “[For instance], if a driver puts you in an uncomfortable position, you can come to InfoSource and file an incident report […] we can then do a followup to make sure everything is safe.”

Elgin Austen, director of the Campus Community Police Service mentioned they have been meeting with both the USC and the University on a regular basis and believe the right safety measures are in place to ensure students can travel safely.

“I wouldn’t say any safety concerns arise. Students need to be aware of whom they are getting in [the car] with and the right precautions are taken in that regard,” Austen added. “Most people are very well meaning and with the right safety precautions, the risk is very low.”

A transit strike in Ottawa last year had students at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa dealing with similar issues.

“We don’t endorse such a [hitch-hiking program] because of the safety issue,” Alain Boucher, media relations spokesperson for the Ottawa Police Service, said.

However, Boucher also noted the police cannot ban such an initiative: “We were telling people to be very vigilant [during the Ottawa transit strike] because they are potentially putting themselves at risk.”

Rowe mentioned students should immediately report any lost or damaged cards in order to prevent them from getting into the wrong hands.

“I think the car pool is a good idea as long as it’s monitored through the University [...] to make sure that everyone is safe,” Christine Canapini, a second-year social science student, said. “I live off-campus so I would appreciate it […] a ride would be awesome.”

While some students believed it to be a good idea, others were unaware such a program existed.

“I haven’t actually received information on it, no e-mails or such. I have only heard through friends about the [Mustangs moving Mustangs program],” Jaclyn Cummings, a fourth-year social science student, said.

“No program is perfect, so we are really urging students to use their heads and say, ‘if I don’t feel comfortable in this situation, I am not going to put myself into it’,” Rowe added.

For more information on the transit strike check out www.westerngazette.ca/strike or www.mustangsmovingmustangs.ca.