Volunteer offers rides in Darlington area
DARLINGTON - Lafayette County does not participate in the Saferide program but Kelly Boyle offers patrons rides that largely benefit charities. Boyle said he offers rides 24 hours a day for $10 if the patron wants a ride in the city of Darlington and $15 for a ride outside. Boyle said he takes 20 percent of his fares for upkeep of his vehicle and the remaining 80 percent goes towards charities of his choosing, including local EMS departments, nursing homes, struggling families or if tragedy strikes.
"Several people in the Amish community had fires and lost their homes so I donated most of my fares to them," Boyle said.
Boyle said he received a grant through the Darlington Police Department that was sponsored by Budweiser. Boyle said the grant from Budweiser pays for the lease on his vehicle, insurance and phone service. Boyle can be reached by mentioning his name at Darlington taverns.
"My main purpose is saving lives," Boyle said. "I will never turn down a fare, whether it's 5:30 in the morning or 6 at night."
Saferide works as a voucher system where patrons can get a free ride home if they live in the Monroe area, with cab fare charged to the program. The statewide program covers all but 12 counties in Wisconsin and is utilized by area taverns with licensed cab drivers or volunteers drivers. Chris Schindler, Saferide coordinator for Monroe, said there are about 10 volunteers who agree to run bar patrons home and the rest of the rides are provided by Monroe Cab Co.
"There is no fee for the patron," Schindler said. "It's up to the patron. We are not forcing anyone to do it. As much as we would like everyone to do it, they have to choose to do it or not."
Schindler, who owns The Friendly Inn Tavern, said about eight taverns in Monroe work with the Saferide program and have drivers who will run patrons up as far as Monticello, though most customers just need rides around Monroe. He said between August 2013 and July 2014, there were 312 rides given in the city of Monroe alone.
Schindler said volunteers have been providing rides for about a year and a half and the project has only been growing. Each bar has their own people who provide rides, but Monroe Cab, which began offering free rides in April, takes the bulk of patrons home.
Chief of Police Fred Kelley said he commends the program's effort and hopes that it remains successful.
"I didn't realize they gave out that many rides. That's impressive," Kelley said. "Every one of those rides potentially stopped a drunk-driving problem."
Kelley said he has seen the product of the Saferide program in Dane County and that is appears to be very successful in curbing some drunk driving. He said that police can't be everywhere and is glad to have the program in the community.
"Absent some kind of educational component for drunk driving, enforcement alone doesn't always win the day," Kelley said.
The Saferide program is funded by an initial $5,000 grant awarded by the state to the county where the program exists, then the members of the Tavern League in that county match up to 20 percent of the state funds. Schindler said he and the other eight taverns in Monroe all pitched in to match up to $1,000 of the $5,000 for the program. The Tavern League receives monies from fines in operating while intoxicated convictions, which fund the Saferide program and the initial grants to counties.
Monroe Cab Co. General Manager Karl Schulte said he expects the program to pick up with the winter months since fewer will want to walk home in inclement weather. Schulte said Monroe Cab agreed to run later on Friday and Saturday nights outside of their normal 10 p.m. curfew to help prevent drunk driving. Cabs will now operate on Fridays and Saturdays until 3 a.m., but if a patron wants a ride they should call before 2:30 a.m., Schulte warned.
"If you don't place an order by 2:30 you probably won't get through; we get pretty busy right around then," Schulte said.
Patrons simply call ahead to Monroe Cab Co. or let bar staff know they will be needing a ride, then the patron is provided a voucher and given a ride, as long as they are heading home.
"They can't be going to another bar or on their way to Walmart to run errands," Schulte said. If that is the case, the ride will have to be paid for as a traditional fare, rather than with a Saferide voucher.
Schulte said there have been no hiccups or problems with the program, though he "knocks on wood" since inebriation tends to lessen inhibitions.
"Don't need to see the vomit in the cab or anything," Schulte joked. "But we have had no problems. ... And people have been very good and respectful to our drivers."