UGA hosted its annual Operation Safe Drive event Thursday afternoon. Hundreds of students, staff and faculty members lined up at the Tate Center Parking Deck for free vehicle inspections.
Blaine Van Note is Projects and Special Events Manager at Transportation and Parking Services.
“We do every year right before the holiday when the students are going to leave and maybe they haven’t driven their car all semester,” Van Note said. “We do this; it gives us an opportunity to give a little bit back to the campus community. So it’s a good opportunity to just get it inspected real quick. You might drive two or three hours and you want to make sure it’s safe.”
Mechanics with Transportation and Parking Services spent hours helping drivers prepare for traveling this holiday. They topped off fluids, checked belts and wiper blades, pressurized tires and performed a visual inspection of vehicles, all free of charge.
“We usually do anywhere from 250 to 350 vehicles. Last year we did over 300 vehicles.”
And those type of numbers could mean a change in location in the future.
“We like having it here at the Tate Center, it’s a central location on campus, it’s easy to get to, but you know we might have to start thinking about expanding this out on the perimeter where we can accommodate and help more people.”
In addition to vehicle checks, the UGA Office of Sustainability and Bike Athens teamed up to offer free bicycle inspections and tune-ups. Campus Catering offered hot cocoa and Watch for Dawgs provided safety tips and information.