Countywide : Programs Giving Rides to Revelers Keep Busy

Programs offering free rides to drunk drivers have been busy so far this holiday season, but the onslaught of calls to transport intoxicated revelers is still to come, according to representatives of two organizations.

Both the Taxitime and CareCab services are available only to people who become intoxicated at public places, such as bars or restaurants, not private parties. Rides of up to 20 miles are free.

Taxitime, a round-the-clock ride program, is sponsored by county beer distributors, who provide the service in conjunction with the Yellow Cab Co. of North Orange County and the Orange Coast Yellow Cab Co., spokesman Larry Goodson said. Taxitime’s number is (714) 546-1311.

While the number of calls has not been tallied, the response to the service has been overwhelming, Goodson said.

As of Thursday night, CareCab, which is operated through CompCare Lifestyle, a health organization based in Santa Ana, had driven about 40 people home from bars or restaurants, spokeswoman Elaine Osborn said. CareCab’s number is (714) 972-3902.

“It kind of builds to New Year’s Eve,” Osborn said. “We are expecting hundreds of calls that night. We have about 15 people ready to take calls.” The service is available from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. until Jan 1.

In an effort to stop drinking before it gets to the highway as well, the Orange County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers will kick off a poster campaign Monday to discourage drunk driving on New Year’s Eve, chapter president Janet Cater said.

MADD will place in bus shelters throughout the county about 30 posters with an anti-drunk-driving theme, Cater said. The poster campaign is being started just before New Year’s Eve because it is a time when many young people will be celebrating by drinking, she said.