The “Sober Ride Home” pilot program will officially launch in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties just in time for the holidays on Tue., Dec. 24.
The service offers free, on-demand rides via Uber to people who have consumed alcohol at bars and restaurants in the Tri-County region.
The regular hours will be from 3 PM to 3 AM, Thursday through Sunday. But with the holidays coming up, the program will also operate this Tuesday and Wednesday, December 24-25, and the following Tuesday and Wednesday, December 31-January 1. (The regular schedule will commence January 2, with expanded hours added for other future holidays.)
Users can visit the Sober Ride Home website at www.soberridehome.org to scan a QR code and access uber vouchers up to $40.
The program is an effort of Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC) in partnership with Uber and Commute PA.
TCRPC Executive Director Andrew Bomberger said 40 percent of fatal crashes and 30 percent of serious injury crashes in the region involve impaired drivers. Sober Ride Home’s hours of operation were chosen because the majority of DUI crashes happen during those peak periods.
“Ultimately our goal is to improve safety on local roadways and decrease DUI crashes through safe, accessible transportation alternatives,” Bomberger said.
Sober Ride Home is conducting an advertising campaign and collaborating with local bars and restaurants to encourage patrons not to drive under the influence, Bomberger explained. It will also educate servers on how impaired patrons can use the program.
The program is made possible through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. Depending on the success of the pilot project, it could be implemented long-term, Bomberger said.
Restrictions apply. Users must have an active Uber account with a credit card on file to access a voucher. Visit www.soberridehome.org for complete information and program details.
TCRPC provides land use and transportation planning for the Harrisburg-Carlisle metropolitan area’s 103 municipalities and nearly 600,000 residents.
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CONTACT: TCRPC Executive Director Andrew Bomberger, (717) 234-2639