The success of the Tavern League of Wisconsin’s Safe-Ride Program continues to grow.

For the year ending June 30 ridership increased 10 percent over the previous year.

The SafeRide Program offers free rides home to patrons at participating Tavern League of Wisconsin establishments. Last year the SafeRide Program provided nearly 75,000 free rides to impaired patrons who feel receiving a ride home is a good idea. This includes 2,462 rides from the Grant/Iowa County Tavern League.

The TLW SafeRide Program began in 1985 and has received both state and federal funding since 1999. The program is the largest SafeRide home program in the country. The TLW works with the state Department of Transportation to administer the program which provides free transportation home from a participating TLW member establishment to those who request it.

In addition to funding from local TLW members the Safe-Ride Program receives state funding through a surcharge on all OWI convictions in Wisconsin. Last year, the 55 local league participating in the SafeRide Program provided the rides home at a cost of nearly $830,000.

“Our local members work hard to establish, fund and administer the program,” said TLW Executive Director Pete Madland. “It is not safe to drive while impaired and the statewide utilization of the SafeRide Program has proven to be an effective tool to help combat drunk driving.”

To utilize the program a patron can simply request a SafeRide voucher from any participating TLW member and they will be given a free ride home-no questions asked. Last year more than 1,700 TLW members participated in the SafeRide Program.

For more information on SafeRide please go to www.tlw.org and click on the Safe
Ride link.