Retired Professor Makes New Path With Safe Rides

   Retired USD professor, Kevin O’Kelley has made it his mission to dedicate his retirement to the University of South Dakota. One way O’Kelley is giving back to the coyote community is by operating one of the Safe Rides buses on weekends. 

     Safe Rides is known as an easy and secure way for students to get back to their homes after a night out and about. 

     O’Kelley said when planning out his retirement plan, he wanted to do so in a way that will make a difference. 

     “[When] I wrote my retirement plan, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do, and decided to devote my time to public service,” O’Kelley said. “I want [the students] to know that they have an alternative and it’s a way to give back to the student population.” 

     O’Kelley explains that he and his wife have adequate needs and he now has the time to devote to public service. 

      “My wife and I [have] modest needs… Public service does not pay well but that’s perfect for me because I’m not a young person trying to buy their first home,” O’Kelley explained. “So now I can afford to [work in] public service and that’s what I’m going to do.” 

     He also highlights the importance for students to feel comfortable calling safe rides on weekends and explains the dangers of walking home in the dark. 

     “It’s not just drunk driving,” O’Kelley said. “But it’s also the fact that it’s cold outside in the winter. It’s also that sometimes people might get into the wrong car if they don’t have an alternative way home. 

     O’Kelley stresses the importance that Safe Rides is a no-cost or judgment zone for students to have a great time out.

     “We don’t ask for ID, we don’t ask for names. We’re not police officers. We just want them to get a safe ride home. No questions asked,” O’Kelley stated. “My motto is no cost, no judgment, just a safe ride home.”

     Safe Rides will begin on September 13 from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. They will run weekly on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the school year. The number for the Safe Rides is 605-624-RIDE.