The Story of CARPOOL
How a mistake became a lifesaving tradition at Texas A&M
On , Jeff Schiefelbein received a DWI in College Station and began an 18-month probation sentence. After losing his license and completing 60 hours of community service, he attended a MADD Victim Impact panel where he heard the story of a woman and her daughter killed in high school.
On , inspired by that story, Jeff decided to start a program his friends and the Aggie community could rely on after a night out. When his ride picked him up from the courthouse that night, he said,
Over the next eight months, he and a team of dedicated students evaluated every aspect of the idea. CARPOOL vowed never to preach about drinking, but to accept everyone and help them get home safely. Education, they believed, should happen outside the car. In fact, members were encouraged to use CARPOOL if they ever needed it.
After nearly a year of research and promotion, CARPOOL began operations on at 10 pm. The first ride was called from the Texas Hall of Fame; the drivers for Car 1 were Suzy Trainer and Evan Campbell. Student Body President Will Hurd stopped by, answered phones, and helped fine-tune operations. By the end of the night, 36 rides had been given — an amazing start for a brand-new program.
As awareness grew, so did trust and the number of rides. Other schools noticed the model and wanted to learn from it. In Spring 2000, CARPOOL received the Outstanding Achievement for a New Committee award from the Association of Former Students and Class Councils, and Jeff earned the award for Best Individual Contribution to Campus.
CARPOOL wasn’t modeled after any other program. It’s a unique approach we hope continues to inspire and support safe-ride programs nationwide.
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DWI leads to community service and a pivotal MADD panel. -
Commitment to build the best designated driver program. -
Operations launch; first night delivers 36 rides. -
Awards recognize CARPOOL’s campus impact and innovation.
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