FAQs about Safe Rides Unlimited

What is the purpose of Safe Rides Unlimited?

To significantly reduce drunken driving incidents by giving people a realistic and attractive alternative to driving themselves to (and from) clubs, bars, restaurants, and special events where alcohol is served. We reward them with an affordable luxury Safe Rides, as well as VIP perks (no cover charge, no lines), to plan their evening ahead of time and make the choice to NOT drink and drive.

How does Safe Rides Unlimited differ from other alcohol-related non profits?

Our goal is to achieve the highest possible results in reducing tragic accidents caused by drunk drivers. We are realistic in knowing how difficult it is to change human behavior, especially when alcohol is such an embedded part of social culture. By creating a unique economic model, we have been successful in incentivizing people to use our luxury transportation services. By creating a fun evening and a VIP experience, we are building up a loyal ridership of people who would otherwise chance driving while intoxicated to return home from a night on the town.

Our model is different from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which channels public outrage and anger over drunk driving tragedies to educate the public and bring legislative change. Likewise, we are different from Alcoholics Anonymous, which has a larger goal of helping people fight and cope with the disease of alcoholism.

How does Safe Rides Unlimited work?

Easily access our online booking platform at www.GetSafeRide.com. Or one easy phone call to 888.656.SAFE connects you to us.

We will arrange round-trip luxury transportation, such as a limousine, for you and your party of five or more from your house to a club, bar, restaurant, or special event. At the end of the night (at a pre-arranged time), we will send the same vehicle to pick you up and take you home safely.

How does www.GetSafeRide.com work?

Booking a Safe Ride online is easy:

1. Select the date for your ride. You can book up to 1 year in advance. Next day reservation should be done by 7 pm the day prior.
2. Indicate number of people in your party. Groups of 4 to 55 can be accommodated.
3. Select Vehicle Type suited for your party. *Per-person rate shown assumes 45 minute or less ride to your destination. If ride is longer or due to other factors the actual rate might be higher. We will contact you about the rate increase before we confirm the ride. A 20% donation, which also serves as the gratuity is charged on your credit card at time of reservation. The balance is to be paid to driver in cash and no further tip is required.
4. Specify Pickup Location and Time. Enter address and time the limo should pick you up. You can enter ZIP code instead of city and state.
5. Enter Destination and Return Time. Include place name and/or address. The driver will come back to take you home at the specified return time.
6. Sign in. If you are not logged in yet, you will need to do so or create an account to continue. If you booked with Safe Rides Unlimited over the phone in the past, you already have an account, you will be able to find your account by simply entering the email address you used and we will email you the temporary password that you can use to log in and finalize your booking! If you are new and have never used Safe Rides, you can create your account by following simple provided steps.
7. Review and Book. When you book we will place a temporary hold for 20% of the total ride cost on your credit card. This for a tax deductible Safe Ride donation to be paid on top of the total ride cost. At the end of the year you will be able to download a receipt with all charity contributions made.
8. Wait for the reservation to be confirmed. Safe Rides Unlimited will arrange your ride and assign a vehicle. You will receive email, when confirmed. You can also check the status online in My Reservations after you login to GetSafeRide. At the time of confirmation, you credit card will be charged the donation amount.
9. Get Ready. You may receive a call from the transportation provider to finalize any details.
10. Enjoy the ride, have fun and come back safe. Please pay driver in cash, no extra tip is necessary. You would need to cover the cost of tolls, if any.

To make your next reservation faster, you can go to My Reservations and ‘Book Similar’.

If you have any questions contact us by email or call 888-656-7233

Are people allowed to drink in the Safe Ride Vehicles?

As a non profit we do not encourage people to drink while using our safe rides for a couple of reasons. One being that since we partner with clubs we cannot have people show up intoxicated because the club will not allow them entry.  Second, our pricing is so low we can not afford to spend money every night to get the cars professionaly cleaned due to spilled alcohol etc.

However,  If the customer agrees to accept all responsiblity and understands our promise to get them into clubs for free will no longer apply, they can be allowed to drink.  In case someone vomits or if the vehicle is left abnormally dirty than the passengers will be responsible for $150 charge for clean.

How much does Safe Rides Unlimited’s round-trip service cost?

Safe Rides Unlimited is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The cost of our round-trip luxury transportation service varies based on a number of factors: the number of people in your party, the member venue or event you are going to, and the distance to your home. When you call to arrange transportation for your night out, we collect this basic information and provide you with a per-person donation price, which goes toward our operating expenses, as well as to compensate the transportation company and the member venue. The per-person donation is typically equivalent to the cover charge at the member venue (a cover charge which is being waived when you use Safe Rides). The more people in your party, the lower the per-person donation. All Safe Rides per-person donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor.

How do I reserve a safe ride?

Before you make a reservation, you will need to determine how many people are in your group. When you are ready to reserve, you simply call us at 888-656-SAFE. We will ask you some basic info like how many people and where your pickup and destination is. Based on this info, we present you with different vehicles you can choose from and what the per person donation is for those vehicles. When you decide which vehicle you want to use, we get some more details from you such as exact pickup addresses and times for pickup and return pickup. You will need a credit card to pay the deposit. We set up your reservation and send you a confirmation email that contains our cancellation policy and our terms of service.

Can I choose the luxury transportation Safe Rides provide?

That depends on availability. For instance, demand for our service is growing in certain locations and especially on weekend evenings. Whenever possible, we try to accommodate vehicle requests of our ridership.

How do I pay for Safe Rides service?

When you call to arrange a ride for an evening, we ask for a major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) to reserve your safe ride. We take a deposit on your card which is non refundable.

What is the Cancellation Policy?

If you cancel a trip within 72 hours of he trip you will be responsible to pay up to 50% of your trip total.  If you cancel your trip within the 48 hours of the trip you will be responsible for the 100% amount of the trip.

In the event there is a natural emergency such as a blizzard, flooding that makes us unable to provide the service on the scheduled trip date, the group can reschedule the trip without loosing the deposit or having to pay the deposit again.  The trip must be rescheduled for sometime within the next 3 weeks of the original trip date.

What about a gratuity for the driver?

That is not included in your per-person donation and is 20% standard unless otherwise negotiated. When you call to reserve your safe ride you will need to put the tip on a credit/debit card as a deposit.   You do NOT have to give the driver any tip on the day of the ride since you already pay the tip as your deposit.

How do I get a receipt for my charitable contribution?

Once a safe ride has been reserved the safe rider will receive a confirmation email that can be used as a receipt.

Where is Safe Rides Unlimited’s service available?

The first metropolitan markets where we developed our network of member venues and transportation providers are Northern New Jersey and New York City. During 2009, we plan to roll out new programs in Miami and in Southern Connecticut. Programs for other cities are planned soon thereafter.

Our business model is based upon having a sufficient number of venues to support the program. That is why it is not feasible to bring Safe Rides programs to smaller markets and population centers.

What benefits are there for clubs, bars, and restaurants to become Safe Rides member venues?

The biggest benefit is the steady stream of business brought in by Safe Rides’ ridership. Likewise the buzz created when Safe Rides limousines arrive to drop off or pick up patrons. However, the real benefit is helping to reduce tragedies resulting from drunken driving accidents. Participation in Safe Rides helps establishments in various ways — reduced liability insurance premiums by taking an active approach to lowering DUI incidents, improved relations with community boards, and enhanced brand awareness and loyalty with Safe Rides growing base of customers.

What benefits are there for luxury transportation companies who provide Safe Rides services?

Because each of these companies is a for-profit business, none can create the same economic model that Safe Rides Unlimited offers. It is a great opportunity for transportation companies to join up with Safe Rides to share in the program’s rapid success. The steady stream of business is an excellent incentive to participation.