COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina and Uber are teaming up for a new initiative to make it safer for students and all people who use the popular rideshare service.
The company and the school unveiled their plans for a nationwide campus safety initiative at a news conference Thursday on the campus of the University of South Carolina.
The move came less than a month after the killing of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old senior at the university. Columbia Police say she mistakenly got into what she thought was her Uber ride in Columbia's Five Points.
Police said the driver -- who was not in any way affiliated with Uber or any other rideshare service -- then kidnapped and killed her.
Uber officials said they will start sending a push alert on the app when riders select a driver that will remind them to check the license plate, car details, and the driver's photo before getting into any vehicle. The message on the banner will say, "Check your ride, every time."
The service went into effect in Columbia on Thursday and will roll out to other communities in the coming days.
Uber also helped secure a $100,000 grant that will be used to launch Check Your Ride awareness campaigns at college campuses nationwide.