Spring Break
Taking the high road
CARPOOL turns four years old as ride tally nears the 40,000 landmark
By: Rachel Hollon
Issue date: 9/5/03 Section: Aggielife
He glanced at his rearview mirror, saw the flashing lights and knew he was in trouble. But what was the big deal? He hadn't hurt anyone, or himself.
Jeff Schiefelbein founded CARPOOL after he received a DWI in College Station in 1997.
After losing his license and completing 60 hours of community service, Schiefelbein was required to appear at a Mother's Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel at which he heard the story of a woman and her daughter's death due to drinking and driving.
Schiefelbein was inspired by this story and began a program that his friends and the Aggie community could rely on when they went out during the weekends. When his ride came to pick him up that night, he sat down in the car and said he was going to start the best designated driver program in the country.
Caring Aggies R Protecting Over Our Lives, better known as CARPOOL, is a safe ride program at Texas A&M. CARPOOL is a student-run, volunteer-based nonprofit organization that offers free, safe, nonjudgmental rides in the Bryan-College Station area.
"CARPOOL started because one person did not want others to make the same mistake that he did. CARPOOL is a great example of how the Aggie family works to take care of each other," said Lauren Barbier, a senior journalism major and director of public relations for CARPOOL.
CARPOOL members are all current A&M students.
"It is more like a friend is picking you up. We are all peers," Barbier said.
CARPOOL has given 38,372 rides.
"Usually we give an average of around 150 rides each night, but with football games and other events, that number can change dramatically," said Dave Nickell, a senior mechanical engineer major and vice chair of CARPOOL. "Last year following the Aggies' triumph of OU we gave 263 rides, which set the record for most rides given in one night."
CARPOOL gets new members every semester who must complete extensive training.
"Currently CARPOOL has 241 members, each of whom receives training not only in CARPOOL procedures but also in basic first aid, defensive driving, signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning and dos and dont's when helping someone who may have alcohol poisoning," Nickell said.
Jeff Schiefelbein founded CARPOOL after he received a DWI in College Station in 1997.
After losing his license and completing 60 hours of community service, Schiefelbein was required to appear at a Mother's Against Drunk Driving Victim Impact Panel at which he heard the story of a woman and her daughter's death due to drinking and driving.
Schiefelbein was inspired by this story and began a program that his friends and the Aggie community could rely on when they went out during the weekends. When his ride came to pick him up that night, he sat down in the car and said he was going to start the best designated driver program in the country.
Caring Aggies R Protecting Over Our Lives, better known as CARPOOL, is a safe ride program at Texas A&M. CARPOOL is a student-run, volunteer-based nonprofit organization that offers free, safe, nonjudgmental rides in the Bryan-College Station area.
"CARPOOL started because one person did not want others to make the same mistake that he did. CARPOOL is a great example of how the Aggie family works to take care of each other," said Lauren Barbier, a senior journalism major and director of public relations for CARPOOL.
CARPOOL members are all current A&M students.
"It is more like a friend is picking you up. We are all peers," Barbier said.
CARPOOL has given 38,372 rides.
"Usually we give an average of around 150 rides each night, but with football games and other events, that number can change dramatically," said Dave Nickell, a senior mechanical engineer major and vice chair of CARPOOL. "Last year following the Aggies' triumph of OU we gave 263 rides, which set the record for most rides given in one night."
CARPOOL gets new members every semester who must complete extensive training.
"Currently CARPOOL has 241 members, each of whom receives training not only in CARPOOL procedures but also in basic first aid, defensive driving, signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning and dos and dont's when helping someone who may have alcohol poisoning," Nickell said.
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