IMPORTANT

CONTACT
Andrew Worrall, PR Manager
651.329.6308
AndrewWorrall@mizzou.edu
http://stripes.missouri.edu/

COLUMBIA, Missouri: Avis-Budget Group, Inc. and Supportive Tigers Riding In Pursuit of Ensuring Safety (S.T.R.I.P.E.S.) are proud to announce the forming of a new partnership that will help to combat the problem of drinking and driving. This new partnership will allow S.T.R.I.P.E.S. to operate more vehicles and decrease wait times by up to seventy-five percent.

S.T.R.I.P.E.S. is a student-run volunteer program that offers free rides home for MU students on the weekends, operating each Thursday-Saturday night using rented vehicles. However the program’s expansion had been limited by a lack of flexibility in its previous arrangement; Enterprise Rent-A-Car had imposed the restriction that S.T.R.I.P.E.S.’ drivers must be 21 years of age, despite three quarters of the campus being unable to volunteer due to this requirement. Then the S.T.R.I.P.E.S./Avis partnership was born, and finalized on Thursday, December 11, 2008.

When operations begin again on January 29, 2009, S.T.R.I.P.E.S. will be able to send out drivers who are 19 or older. But with the lower driving age, new restrictions including membership will be mandated. Students wishing to volunteer in any position must apply for membership online no later than February 6, 2009 (www.stripes.missouri.edu/join-stripes). S.T.R.I.P.E.S. encourages each member to volunteer at least five times per semester.

Once the applicant has passed a background check and their age is verified, he or she must attend a risk management session where emergency procedures are explained. New members must then complete three nights as a passenger and a fourth night driving with an Experienced Driver. As before, driver/passenger teams must be one male and one female. Any student 21 years of age or older who has volunteered and driven a S.T.R.I.P.E.S. vehicle previous to Jan. 29, 2009 will not be required to complete the four nights of service outlined above.

Founded by a group of five friends, S.T.R.I.P.E.S. has operated on the mission of providing free, safe, and confidential rides to University of Missouri students. Since its inaugural ride on October 4, 2001 the program has provided a safe ride home for more than 65,000 patrons. Undoubtedly, the streets of the campus and community are safer as a result.

01.20.2009

Read All About It! Younger Drivers Given the Green Light!

Program leaders hope to inspire similar programs at other schools.

By Catherine Rolfe
Dec. 26, 2008

Safe-ride program STRIPES will start using [19]-year-old drivers in January after university officials signed off on the proposal Dec. 11.

"When STRIPES was founded, this was one of the dreams of the program, that we were going to have younger drivers," former STRIPES Executive Director Domingo Pacheco said. "We had to have somebody sign on the dotted line, and that finally happened."

Since its inception, finding a way to lower its driving age was a goal for STRIPES.
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Read more online here

01.01.2009

Avis + STRIPES = Partners

Avis-Budget Group, Inc. and STRIPES are proud to announce the forming of a new partnership that will help to combat the problem of drinking and driving. This new partnership will allow STRIPES to operate more vehicles and decrease wait times by up to seventy-five percent.

“We are very excited about this partnership,” said Jordan Paul, President of the Missouri Students Association. “Our new arrangement will encourage more students to make the responsible choice to not drink and drive.”

STRIPES is a student-run volunteer program that offers free rides home for MU students on the weekends, operating each Thursday-Saturday night. However the program’s expansion had been limited by a lack of flexibility in its previous arrangement; Enterprise Rent-A-Car had imposed the restriction that STRIPES’s drivers must be 21 years of age, despite three quarters of the campus being disenfranchised by this requirement. Then the STRIPES/Avis partnership was born.

“When we approached Avis last spring to inquire about working together to expand our services, we didn’t know what to expect” said Domingo Pacheco, Executive Director of STRIPES. “Immediately we were treated with respect, dignity, and were viewed as a valued customer. Avis supported our mission and heard our concerns.” Shortly thereafter, an arrangement was drafted that allowed younger drivers to participate in the program. On Thursday December 11^th , the new partnership was finalized.

For seven years the program dreamt of expanding the number of vehicles it operates, the reason this partnership was formed. “As a founding member of STRIPES, I was ecstatic to hear that 19 year olds will be able to drive Avis rental cars” said Daniel Reiter, Founder of STRIPES. “Allowing younger drivers was a long term goal that is finally being realized. This is a historical moment for the future of STRIPES and ensuring its mission of helping the students attending the University of Missouri.”

All of this in an effort to decrease the chance someone may cancel and choose the alternative of getting behind the wheel. “STRIPES provides an important service” stated the Access to Alcohol Action Team on the University of Missouri campus. “While most MU students do not choose to drink and drive, we know that some students may make that decision without an alternative ride home. STRIPES provides students with this important service.”

Founded by a group of five friends, STRIPES has operated on the mission of providing free, safe, and confidential rides to University of Missouri students. Since its inaugural ride on October 4^th of 2001, the program has provided more than 65,000 safe rides. It is undeniable that the streets of the campus and community are safer as a result.

12.13.2008

STRIPES, N.H. Scheppers renew successful partnership

N.H. Scheppers Distributing Co., with offices in Columbia and Jefferson City, and Anheuser-Busch are pleased to renew their sponsorship of the STRIPES program at The University of Missouri.

“We are extremely pleased to support such an outstanding organization,” said Joseph Scheppers, President of N.H. Scheppers Distributing Co. “STRIPES provides the University community with an extremely valuable service and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them for many years to come.”

STRIPES, which has given more than 65,000 safe rides since 2001, is a student-run volunteer program that offers free rides home for MU students on the weekends. “STRIPES was conceived as a program that would be providing a free benefit for MU students. For the past seven years this goal has been accomplished, year after year, and donations such as this are critical to achieving this goal,” stated STRIPES founder Johnny Wang.

“Anheuser-Busch and N.H. Scheppers Distributing Co. are proud to be partners with STRIPES in an effort to promote responsibility and keep Mizzou students safe,” said Tom Wanko, Southwest Region Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility at Anheuser-Busch.

STRIPES is currently looking to significantly expand the number of vehicles it operates, the reason this partnership was renewed. Having surpassed all expectations of its founders, moving from six vehicles to eight or ten is the next step for STRIPES. And doing so will cause the organization to bear additional costs. However this donation and others like it will allow STRIPES to rent more vehicles, to operate more vehicles, and to decrease the time their patrons must wait. All of this in an effort to decrease the chance someone may cancel and choose the alternative of getting behind the wheel.

Founded by Norbert Scheppers in 1950, N.H. Scheppers Distributing Company acquired the distribution rights to sell Anheuser-Busch products for Boone and Callaway Counties in 1952. Two years later the territory was expanded to include Cole, Osage, most of Moniteau, and a portion of Miller County. N.H. Scheppers Distributing Company’s commitment to the communities it serves is exemplified by its support of dozens of charitable endeavors and community initiatives each year. One such being the STRIPES safe ride program.

Anheuser-Busch and its team of more than 600 independently owned distributers are proud to be industry leaders in the fight against alcohol abuse. Over the past two decades, they have invested more than $465 million in a comprehensive portfolio of more than two dozen community-based programs and national advertising campaigns to promote alcohol responsibility and help combat the problem of drinking and driving.

12.09.2008

2009 STRIPES Director

On Tuesday December 2nd, STRIPES elected its Executive Director for the 2009 year. In a close contest, Tanner Tucker, the current STRIPES Assistant Director, emerged as the victor. Congratulations Tanner on your selection to lead STRIPES for the coming year!

After being elected, Tanner had this to say:

"I am extremely excited to have been elected Director of one of the best student groups on campus, and I am anxious to start working with the Executive Board to continue making the program even better. I have been involved in STRIPES since the second semester of my Freshman year, and since then I have been involved as a volunteer, Membership Chair, and Assistant Director. Ever since I started volunteering for STRIPES, I saw the potential the program has had.

Thanks to the last two Directors, and the extreme amount of effort put forth by each, STRIPES has grown in both popularity and efficiency. We have more volunteers than ever, and we continue to shorten ride times each semester. Thanks to Domingo, we are extremely close to having 19 year old drivers, meaning we will have more cars and shorter wait times.

I will continue working to increase the membership of STRIPES so we have the resources to run up to eight cars, which will reduce wait times even more. My goal is to work as the voice of the program, expressing concerns to campus leadership, and facilitating communication among our entire organization. With hard work from the rest of the STRIPES Executive Board, I believe that STRIPES can get even better, and I look forward to serving the campus community."

Again, congratulations to Tanner Tucker!

-Domingo Pacheco
2008 Executive Director

12.07.2008