Safe Rides Unlimited and its staff started the year with extreme optimism and for good reasons. Safe Rides Unlimited had just finalized the pilot program that had been running for a little over 2 years. SRU’s innovative methods are proving to be extremely effective.

The idea that people can now get round trip luxury safe rides that cost normally as much as what someone would pay for cover charge at club. This makes the ride practically free since SRU users do not have to pay the covers or wait onlines at SRU member venues.

SRU’s initial obstacles were due to the fact most individuals could not believe they can prevent themselves from driving drunk and save money at the same time. It was hard to believe it can be so much fun to get the VIP experience as a reward for making the right choice. SRU utilized the support of its member venues to help spread the message. According to Amanat Moe Sattar Safe Rides Unlimited Founder/President; SRU would not be successful if they did not receive support from venue owners and individuals like Joe Barcelona (owner of Bliss formerly known as Joey’s) Sergio Tiggs and Tommy D who offered their guidance and help bring the program to the masses.

Today SRU is proud to say that its user base has grown to numbers that exceed all expections for a program just introduced to the general public. The results from pilot program were good but no one expected to providing over 500 safe rides a week as soon as they launched. Safe Rides Unlimited is looking forward to having an amazing and successful second half of the year.

All Safe Ride programs are initiated with the best of intentions. The people that start these programs really truly want to make a difference, most programs do make a difference but only a few are able to last. The main reason for many programs to fail is lack of funding. Safe Ride programs are usually designed to be dependent on outside funding, either thru major sponsors, donations or state. The question is why does the funding run out and the answer is simple once these safe ride programs start showing results, the funding disappears for the simple fact funders see it as mission accomplished no more reason to keep spending money. The truth is that at this is the time safe ride programs need funding the most to continue as their demand has grown and they need to sustain their operational costs.

The difference between all other Safe Ride programs and SRU is simple. SRU was designed as the first and only program to be self sustaining. SRU simply asks people to directly utilize their donation for a safe ride thru SRU. This donation amount is usually what they would pay as cover charge at most venues. In return of their donation SRU users receive a round trip Safe Ride to and from the club in luxury vehicles. This Safe Ride model helps pay for the operational costs and helps SRU be self sustaining. People can still donate but now their donation is immidiately giving them results in form of a safe ride.

Another major reason for Safe Rides Unlimited’s success is unlike most safe ride programs SRU welcomes alcohol serving venues into its efforts and utlizes their help to offer incentive to safe ride users. Incentives such as not paying cover charges or waiting on lines at clubs, such incentives actually make it cheaper for people to use safe rides than to drive. Safe Rides Unlimited has been growing at a steady pace since its inception and has not needed to solicit outside funds. Not to say SRU would not accept funding but the simple fact is SRU’s program is not dependent or suceptable to outside sources that may control its success.

Today Safe Rides Unlimited is providing safe rides to over 500 people every week and even though once in a while there are small issues, 99% of the time SRU is able to provide an extremely high level of service to its users. This is the reason why Safe Rides Unlimited is successful.

To whomever is reading this,

I would like to take this opportunity and introduce myself as the founder of Safe Rides Unlimited. If you got a late night phone call, as I did, informing you that a dear friend, or perhaps someone in your family had just died in an alcohol related accident I can only imagine how distraught you might be at that point. When this happened to me I was devastated! For days I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t work effectively, and I crawled into a hole. I realized though there are many organizations providing victim services there were none or very few that were physically and effectively preventing the tragedies from happening. Then, I decided to “make lemonade out of a lemon.”

I formed the Safe Rides Unlimited a not for profit organization with several friends in 2004. Until now then there had not been an organization that is able to produce results like SRU. Already we keep more then 300 drunk drivers off the road every week! That’s over 1200 people we physically prevent every month from driving drunk by providing them with sensible, efficient and cost effective safe ride alternatives. AND THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING!!!

The SRU Program works like this:

• Our current safe ride users and new users going out to a restaurant, bar, or club call our 888 number and arrange to be picked up by SRU approved transportation from their house and delivered to their particular establishment and then back home later. The transportation is provided by a network of transportation affiliates at an extremely discounted rate to make it cost effective and appealing as an effective alternative. What makes this most effective is that SRU works with the establishments to offer incentives for using safe rides. Incentives such as no cover charges at some of the most popular bars/clubs in the tri-sate along
with avoiding to wait on lines. This is a simple and direct (practical) program that, thus far, has met with great success. But, we can and must do better!

Benefits:
1. The roundtrip completely eliminates their vehicle from their plans of night out.
2. Safe Ride Users Save money by not paying for gas, cover charges, parking, tolls etc.
3. SRU helps people to plan ahead with their friends and make all arrangements for them.
4. Bars are able to offer this to their current customers to utilize and to others that now can come to their establishment without the worries of drunk driving.

To any reasonable person the benefits are obvious as there are way too many to list.

The mission I undertook was not an easy one. I started this organization with a vision and a promise made to myself of never loosing the dedication to find alternatives to drunk driving that could save lives now and in the future. I had to make many personal sacrifices but I personally assure you I have not lost my drive. Today I can walk with my head high knowing how many of my peers appreciate these sacrifices, and show their appreciation by making the right decision for themselves and using safe rides with their friends.

Thank you,
Amanat M. Sattar
Founder
Safe Rides Unlimited
O. 888-656-SAFE
F. 973-582-0595
www.SafeRidesUnlimited.org

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