Going out to party on New Year’s Eve? You do know why they call it “amateur night,” right?
According to a press release from the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Eugene Parking, “Over the last four years on record, Lane County has suffered more traffic deaths than any other Oregon county. The 180 deaths in Lane County are higher than even Multnomah County, which has more than twice the total population.”
The release says, “The primary contributors to these deaths are speed and driving impairment.”
On that happy note, the groups have organized a “Safe Rides Home” effort and are working together with Lyft, Oregon Taxi and Uber to get people home safely. (And yep, that’s right, sing a little kumbaya because app-based ride share companies are working with taxis on this.)
Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner points out what should be obvious in his statement in the release: “People who drive impaired put all the other drivers and their passengers on the road at risk of serious injury or death.”
Skinner requests partiers, “Please keep the holidays happy and have a plan. Make sure you have a sober ride home.”
So, to that end, thanks to the Safe Rides Home effort, from 8 am on NYE to 3 am New Year’s Day, “merry makers can receive a $5 discount on a ride from Lyft using app code “NYERIDE18.” Oregon Taxi riders can receive a $10 discount by using app code “SAFERIDE,” and Uber riders can use code “SAFERIDE2018” for a $5 discount.”
This promotion is available to everyone in the Eugene-Springfield area. EW asked Matt Sayre of TAO if the Uber and Lyft discounts are on regular rates or if it will be off surge or prime time pricing, in which rates go up due to demand. Sayre says that the credit “applies to all app based rates and does not count against how much the driver makes.”
Sayre says, “My understanding of Lyft Prime Time fares and Uber Surge fares is that it is a function of demand and supply.” And he adds, “One thing that I think most people like about using apps to get a ride is that they get to see the exact fair quoted in advance, making it easy to chose between companies or wait until surge pricing passes.”
Another tried and true option of course is bringing a designated driver. You can check out Eugene’s full list of public passenger vehicles, including pedicabs, here.
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