‘Lei Feng Light’ pilot to brighten pupils’ commute

With a "Lei Feng Light" to be placed on their dashboards, some 200 faculty members at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have signed up to offer students free rides between the school's two campuses as a yearlong pilot dedicated to the Chinese soldier that many people remember as an iconic national hero, the university told local media this week, ahead of Lei Feng Day next week.

Similarly to taxi light indicators, the staff will have the lights placed inside their cars to inform students of when they are traveling between campuses. Students who are heading the same way can flag them down.

The school's chief of student affairs, Zhu Jian, said that the idea came after seeing several students queuing for school buses to the university's campuses in Xuhui and Minhang districts, which are separated by some 25 kilometers, or a 40-minute drive, pending traffic.

"I offered a student a free ride to campus once, but she was concerned since we didn't know each other," he said.

But Zhu assured that students would be safe, if they travel via a "Lei Feng Car."

Each faculty member will be required to post their school ID inside their vehicle, which can be reported by students who run into problems with staff, he said.

The pilot project coincides with Lei Feng Day on Monday, an occasion intended to mark the legacy of the 22-year-old soldier, who has long been praised as a role model by Party officials for his selfless attitude, patriotism and modesty.