To the Editor:The ideology behind the SGA cab vouchers is good: Avoid students drinking and driving by giving out free cab rides to and from bars. But in reality, they don’t work. I’ve tried to use them on two different occasions with no luck. During Mardi Gras, when my friends I tired of the Bourbon Street revelry, I called the United number listed on my voucher to request a cab home. Cab after cab came, saw we had a voucher and refused to take us. “We don’t know anything about that,” they told us repeatedly. Finally, a member of the NOPD had to call United and demand a cab be sent for us immediatly. The cab arrived and grudingly took us. He claimed he knew nothing about the vouchers, was not going to be paid for the ride, was rude, and made us show two types of ID. Weeks later, I got another voucher for a ride to or from F&M’s, this time sponsored by White Fleet Cab Company. I figured that since they were using a different company, my experience might be better. Wrong. Everytime I called White Fleet and said I had the voucher, I was told no cabs were in the area. Finally, I spotted a White Fleet cab outside F&M’s and flagged them down. I didn’t present the voucher until we were dropped off, where the driver proceeded to say he knew nothing about them and didn’t accept them. What a surpise. I appreciate the attempt that SGA is trying to make to give students a safe ride home, but there needs to be better communication with the cab companies. I’m sure that SGA paid good money for the vouchers, and it’s a shame that so many go to waste because of uncooperative and uninformed cab drivers.

Cristina Gibson