Often when students need a ride from point a to point b, they use campus transportation, but what do students use when campus transportation is unavailable? Students can now request a ride from Uber, a transportation service new to the Baton Rouge area. 
“Uber is basically a luxury, in a sense, cab service. You download the Uber app on your phone. That when you request a ride it pings out to I would assume like a central hub and who ever is closes to you , it’ll ping our phone,” said Bryce Benzine, Uber driver and LSU senior.
While some LSU students already use Uber, others are still skeptical.
“It wouldn’t be my first choice, but because, like I said, sometimes it is safe, sometimes it isn’t,” said Tiana Lazard, freshman LSU student.
Uber is safe, and it can even be safer than regular taxi services, Benzine said. When you request a ride, Uber provides you with a picture of the Uber driver, their phone number, the type of car they will pick you up in and the license plate number. This way there is no confusion as to who will pick you up.
Uber drivers do their best to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, Benzine said. Using GPS systems, drivers try to find the shortest routes and avoid traffic if possible.
Student Body President Andrew Mathook said there is a possibility that LSU Student Government will partner with Uber in the future.
“Uber’s reached out to us before, and they’ve told us about some different schemes, I guess, that other schools have done,” Mathook said.
The University of Florida has a partnership with Uber that provides discounted rides. At certain times, the school and student government pays half of the students’ fare. 
The University of Southern California also has an Uber partnership that has integrated Uber into the campus transit system. There are set Uber routes and Uber pick-up spots on the university campus.
Mathook could not provide a comment about whether or not LSU will in fact partner with Uber, and no time line for the deal was provided.
“There’s nothing to say that we can’t,” Mathook said.
Despite the outcome of the deal, Uber will still be available to LSU students.
Any students interested in driving for Uber can sign up on the Uber Website at www.uber.com.