Student Lifeline has overcome early problems and is now responding to an average of 18 calls per week, said the student senator overseeing the program which gives free cab rides to students in emergency situations, has not had any complaints in the last month, said Associated Students of the University of Arizona Sen. Adam Bronnenkant.

That's a sharp turnaround from the program's first few weeks on the UA campus, when the ASUA Senate nearly suspended the program.

Two week ago cab companies in Phoenix were being called for Tucson pickups and students were being turned away by operators at Student Lifeline Inc., the New York-based, for-profit company that runs the program.

About a month ago, the company contracted with Yellow Cab in Tucson. Since that time, no problems have been reported, Bronnenkant said.

"All new programs experience some resistance of some form or another," Bronnenkant said. "We knew there would be problems; we just didn't know what they would be."

A lot of the early confusion was due mainly to communication problems with the cab companies and Student Lifeline Inc, said ASUA President Doug Hartz.

Most of the calls Yellow Cab receives request pickups on campus, said Xenia Thornton, manager of communications for Yellow Cab.

Yellow Cab receives the most calls on Friday nights, Thornton said.

Only about 17,000 of the 50,000 Lifeline cards ASUA had planned to distribute have been passed out, Bronnenkant said. The cards, which ASUA had hoped to pass out to every UA student and staff member, include a phone number to call for free cab service, as well as advertisements sold by a Student Lifeline representative to cover the cost of the cab rides.

Suitable reasons to use the program are to avoid a bad date, or getting in the car with a drunk driver, when students experience car troubles or any other unforeseen and possibly dangerous circumstances, Bronnenkant said.

The service is not meant to provide a ride home for

irresponsible students who do not plan ahead or have a designated driver, he added.

If students are stranded or in a situation where they would have to ride with a drunk driver, they are allowed to use the program, Bronnenkant said.

Student Lifeline pays for the cab ride and tip.

ASUA paid $2,630 to start the program at the UA. The fees paid for a Student Lifeline company representative to come to Tucson and sell the ads displayed on the cards, Hartz said.

Depending on the program's success this year, the service may or may not be continued next year, Hartz said.

"By May, we should see if the program is a success and that will weigh into if the future (ASUA) representatives decide to use the program," Hartz said.

"If it continues to improve safety, it will probably continue," he said.

Cards are available in the ASUA office, on the third floor of the student union, above the UofA Bookstore.