Merritt’s bars and taxi services are teaming up to make sure local patrons get home safely this holiday season.
Rudolph Rides, a community effort to combat drinking and driving, will allow patrons at participating bars with a bar bill of $20 or more to be eligible for a voucher for half price taxi fare home.
“The objective of Rudolph Rides is to target those who may have had a little too much to drink and haven’t prepared themselves with the means to get home safely,” said coordinator Jim Bruce.
The program will be effective Friday and Saturday evenings during the month of December and vouchers will be available at the Middlesboro Pub, the Merritt Desert Inn, The Grand Pub and Grill and the Coldwater Bar. Both local taxi services – Leo’s Taxis and Merritt Taxis – are participating in the program.
Bruce said that the Rudolph Rides committee is hoping that vouchers will find their way into the hands of those who need that little incentive to choose a safer option for themselves and for the community.
“Those who would have stopped before reaching a $20 bill, or would have found a safe ride home in any case, are urged to carry on with their safe ride plans,” he said.
The number of vouchers issued may be limited so Bruce urged patrons wishing to participate to ask their servers to put them on the list and record their consumption.
Vouchers for half price taxis fares need to be used the evening they are issued and those headed to the same address are asked to claim only one voucher.
Besides informing the media of the program, Bruce made a presentation to council Dec. 6 explaining the particulars and the idea behind the Rudolph Rides program.
“All of us are a little nervous at the thought that many people on our roads may have had too much Christmas cheer, and should not be driving,” he said, citing statistics that 10 per cent of people driving after 10 p.m. are impaired.
Bruce also referred to a University of Victoria report that indicated alcohol consumption in British Columbia has risen over the last decade and leads the rest of Canada.
RCMP vigilance can only go so far, he said, and local liquor establishments want to do more to encourage safer means of transporting alcohol consumers home.
While applauding the effort to reduce impaired driving, several councillors questioned whether or not the program would be able to accommodate everyone.
Councillor Dave Baker expressed concern with vague wording that the numbers of vouchers issued will be at the discretion of bars, and Bruce explained that people wishing to participate need to let their servers know early.
Councillor Mike Goetz also wondered about the availability of taxis in Merritt.
“Do we have enough taxis to accommodate the service?” he asked.
Bruce said that the bars are also concerned that this might be an issue and are encouraging the taxi services to be prompt.
If the Rudolph Rides system manages to keep Merritt’s roads safe while assisting the bottom line of the hospitality and taxi businesses, then Bruce said the program could become an ongoing model for road safety and sound business operations.
