Students Excited After UCO Teams With Uber To Offer Free Rides

It's the first of its kind here in Oklahoma, Uber has teamed up with the University of Central Oklahoma to provide free rides for students. The partnership was announced this week and kicked off Wednesday night.

The free Uber ride will take you pretty much anywhere in the metro.

Discussions for this partnership between UCO and Uber started last November. Thursday's announcement created a buzz of excitement on campus.

“It's pretty exciting because I don't have to drive you know under the influence or anything. I can just kind of call an Uber to pick me up,” said freshman UCO student Michael Spears.

Spears could already see himself using the free rides several nights a week as a safe way to get home after a night out.

An option his classmates appreciate too for their own safety.

“It would keep a lot of people safe. And knowing the people have that option just driving, I don't know. Everyone would feel a lot safer with that,” said freshman Ashley Mayhew.

How does the program work? Students can sign up using their student email addresses and plug in the code "UCORIDES". On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., students can take a free Uber ride up to $20 anywhere in the area shaded green - from Covell to I-40 and from I-44 to I-35.

“It's going to provide a great alternative, a really safe way for students to get home,” said Austin Sheehy former UCO Student Association President.

Sheehy worked to make this ride share program happen.

“It's hard to guess how many people are going to use it, but we budgeted $20,000 for this fall just to kind of see how that goes,” he said.

Money that comes from the student activity fee all students pay into each year, and that will now provide a free and safe ride for all students.

UCO is one of several universities across the country to try out this pilot program with Uber.