TAMPA, Fla. — Are you or your friends planning to party during the holidays? If so, you will want to keep this information handy to make sure everyone gets home safely.
“Getting behind the wheel impaired can ruin many more lives than just your own,” said Amy Stracke, Managing Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy for AAA. “If you’re going to be celebrating this weekend, please plan ahead so you, your loved ones, and everyone else on the road can get home safely.
AAA strongly recommends you have a Designated Driver or arranging for another form of sober transportation.
DESIGNATED DRIVER
A designated driver is a person who abstains from alcohol on a social occasion (such as a New Year's Eve party) in order to drive his or her companions home safely as an alternative to driving under the influence. American Addiction Centers offers five tips on being a designated driver.
TECO LINE STREETCAR
The TECO Line Streetcar System runs on rails that connects Ybor City, Channelside and Downtown Tampa. It is now free to ride the streetcar system. The line operates until at least 10:00 p.m. More Info: www.tecolinestreetcar.org.
TAXI, CAB SERVICES
Taking a cab or taxi is also a good alternative to driving during any holiday. To find a car service near you, download a cab-finding app like Curb: www.gocurb.com .
Hillsborough County:
Yellow Cab, (813) 253-0121
Cab Plus, (813) 288-8888
United Taxi Car Service, (877) 288-2672
Pinellas County:
United Taxi (727) 777-7777
Coral Cab (727) 215-0429
Downtown Yellow Taxi (727) 379-4440
Yellow Cab (727) 204-4212
Polk County:
Checker Cab Co., (863) 665-8151
Polk County Taxi, (863) 521-2924
Pasco County:
Express Cab (727) 226-3822
Signature Car Service (727) 834-4444
Adventure Cab Express (727) 637-1069
DOWNTOWNER
The Downtowner offers complimentary ride service in downtown Tampa, the University of Tampa, the Channel District and Tampa Heights. Service is available Mondays to Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturdays from Noon to 10:00 p.m., and Sundays from Noon to 8:00 p.m.
The free service is thanks to the Tampa Downtown Partnership. You can get a ride by downloading the free Downtowner app.
RIDE SHARING SERVICES
Ride-sharing is a popular alternative to driving or taking a taxi on a holiday weekend. When there is high demand, Uber uses surge pricing. Fares can increase significantly during the busiest time of the night.
Riders who use rival Lyft will also see a version of Uber's price surge, called "Prime Time."
Uber: www.uber.com
Lyft: www.lyft.com
TOW-TO-GO
AAA's free "Tow-to-go" service is active for Cinco de Mayo.
Whether you are a AAA member or not, you can call for a Tow to Go ride starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 21 through 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 2. AAA will safely get you and your vehicle home or somewhere safe within 10 miles.
Call 1-855-2-TOW-2-GO (855-286-9246)
Since it started in 1998, Tow to Go has safely removed 25,000 impaired drivers from the roads. The service is designed to be used as a last resort to keep drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.
