University of Iowa students are being re-carded with a new Iowa One Card that includes prox functionality for door access. The new cards are currently being issued to incoming freshmen. The main advantage to upgrading is that students will no longer have to carry a separate prox card for dorm access.

In addition, the university is implementing a new program, called SafeRide, that will give students once per semester a free taxi ride. It’s designed to keep students safe at night. The program is funded by student activity fees.

Regarding the new campus card, university spokesman Tom Moore estimated that 9,000 new cards had been issued so far. He also said that more than 5,000 of the 6,000 current students who live in the residence halls are accessing their buildings using their IDs.

“We have a campaign in progress to re-card the rest of the residents in the next three weeks,” said Moore. “When that population is served, we will begin the conversion to the Iowa One card for other students, faculty, and staff.”

The new card also has debit functionality provided it is linked to Hills Bank, which is under contract with the university.

Yellow Cab of Iowa City has been contracted to provide students the rides. The company will charge the university per ride given each month.

“Graduate and professional students largely live off campus, so when safety is in question, it is important for them to have a safe ride home, and this service does exactly that,” said Michael Appel, president of the UI Executive Council of Graduate and Professional Students.

Read more about the university’s new campus card here.

For more about the university’s SafeRide program, go here.