Watermelon Crawl: Uber Driver's Safety Mission

0:00On April 27th, Columbia Uber driver Mike Sloan has turned his silver Nissan Armada into the famous Watermelon Crawl, a nickname USC students gave him. Back in 2019, inspired by that old Tracy Bird tune about drinking smart and not driving, he blasts the song on rides and pushes rideshare safety hard for college, kids parting around campus. What kicked this off was a tragedy with a student named Sammy, plus too many missing USC women that still haunt the area. Now Sloan starts every trip with tips like checking license plates, staying in groups and skipping drinks from strangers. He even sits on the Richland County Sheriff's Advisory Council to stay sharp on local crime. Students love it, riders get nicknames like Ava Squared, Watermelon Stickers, and that fatherly vibe that makes late nights feel safe. One visitor called his caring style, a rare find for girls out alone, turning routine ubers into feel good moments. He's ramped it up with free rides for walkers, safety seminars for fratts and sororities,

1:01and a tiktok account launch last December that's already. Past 4,600 followers. Videos mix rider intros, quick safety advice, and end with his chant. If you drink, don't drive, do the Watermelon Crawl. A former teacher and coach, Sloan's all about those parent thank yous and the spark in kids eyes when his message lands. He's building trust, so USC sees the Watermelon Crawl as backup that truly has their back.