Created by the state Department of Transportation, students can now use a smartphone app to find a ride home after a night out drinking even though according to police officials MSU has not had a problem with drinking and driving.

The Person Appointed to Stay Sober application, paired with Facebook’s event-planning feature, allows attendees at an event coordinate the designated driver. This app allows students to find rides and also provides incentives to volunteers.

“We hope to raise awareness of the PASS app through social media and through the informational speeches I’ve given at Spirit Days, handouts given on Monday move-in and through flyers around school,” Police Chief Dan Williams said.

According to the PASS app website, the app makes it easy to plan ahead and get a PASS— someone who agrees not to drink at all and will be available to give others a ride home. The PASS app provides incentive for passengers to offer compensation for the driver’s time and gas money. The app enables users to create a “party group” and to keep track of who owes what to whom.

“It’s a great initiative and I hope to raise volunteers,” Williams said.

However, despite attempts to increase awareness of the application getting students to use the application might be a challenge.

Christopher Phillips, a student in theater, said he wouldn’t utilize the app.

“I wouldn’t use it because I honestly think it’s a waste of time,” Phillips said. “Not everyone has a Facebook or access to the app. Most of the time at parties someone will be the DD (designated driver). I think that that outweighs those who will check the PASS App.”

Haley English, a student in computer science, agreed that the app is a good opportunity and would like to participate in volunteering.

“I would use the PASS app in the volunteering aspect,” she said. “I don’t usually attend parties or drink so I would just be doing it to help others out in the sense of keeping the roads safer.”

According to Williams, Midwestern is part of a pilot program with the University of North Texas and the University of Texas — Brownsville, schools selected because state officials were looking for campuses with varying demographics.

App created for designated drivers from MWSU Campus Watch on Vimeo.