Taxi company offering free New Year's rides

Free rides for people drinking too much

MOSES LAKE —The road can be a dangerous place during the holiday season, but the owner of one of Moses Lake's cab companies is offering an incentive on one holiday night this month to ensure safety of those celebrating the merry way.

Reece Robinson is one of the owners of AAA Premier Cab, and his company will be offering free rides home to the festive who have had too much to drink New Year's Eve.

"Festive would be putting it lightly," Robinson said of New Year's patrons. But he said while a few riders can sometimes get out of hand, the majority of his patrons are good people who can be fun to drive to their destination.

Robinson and his fellow drivers will waive their normal per mile fee for the rides home to get would-be drivers home New Year's Eve night.

Imbibing patrons at Moses Lake bars can get a free cab ride on the holiday from downtown bars to their homes in the Moses Lake area, and Robinson said folks can also make arrangements to be picked up at a party for drop-off at home.

"It's a service to our community," Robinson said, "and our whole business is getting people where they need to go in emergency situations."

This year will be the second Robinson has offered the New Year's Eve service through his cab company that has been open for a little more than a year. The free rides home, Robinson said, are keeping drunken drivers off the road on what he called a very busy and dangerous night for motorists.

He said he went into business so he can help people, and said the welfare of his riders is important.

"I grew up in this town, I've lived here for 35 years, and 85 percent of the people we pick up in the cabs I know personally," he said.

Many who took up on his offer last year didn't know about the service, but Robinson said he believes the service will increase business. And because of the busy night, Robinson does ask patience from those wanting to utilize Premier's service.

"Because of increased calls on News Year's, I would hope that the people who call in and have been waiting for their ride will be patient, because we have a lot of calls to answer," He said.

AAA Premier drivers operate 24-hours a day and will operate free rides home for those who have had too much to drink as long as they need to on the New Year's Eve holiday. To schedule a ride call (509) 766-TAXI.