Free bus rides, tows again being offered on New Year’s Eve.

LUDINGTON — Downtown New Year’s Eve celebrators will again be offered the alternative of free rides and towing. Since 2003 the New Year’s Eve Drive Safe Drive Sober effort has provided 8,761 free rides to Mason County residents and visitors.  Of that number 148 had their vehicles towed free of charge.  Prior to 2003 Abrahamson’s Towing and Quinn’s Tires & Tows offered free rides and vehicle tows to drivers that should not be driving.

Beginning in 2003 Mason County law enforcement banded together with Ludington Mass Transportation Authority, Ludington Beverage, Caswell-Latocha, M.A.D.D., S.A.D.D., Abrahamson’s, Quinn’s, Oceana Auto and more recently Fiers Towing & Recovery to allow people to get safely to and from their holiday destinations.

While this program was initially set-up solely as a traffic safety effort it has proven to be a valuable partner to other celebratory activities such as the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in downtown Ludington, said Ludington Police Chief Mark Barnett.

This year, Ludington Beverage, the Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown Ludington Board, various area licensed liquor establishments, hotels, motels and other Ludington area businesses are once again helping to make Drive Safe, Drive Sober possible through their financial support.

The service area for this year is the City of Ludington north to the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and M-116 in Hamlin Township and Pere Marquette Township, east to Scottville, from Hansen Road south to Conrad Road.

Those wishing to take advantage are encouraged to call L.M.T.A. at 231-845-6218 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. and then from 8 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. to schedule your ride.  The L.M.T.A. buses will begin picking up riders at 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 31 and continue throughout the evening until 4 a.m. Friday, January 1, 2016.

Anyone wishing to help in this effort can send their donation to the City of Ludington – Drive Safe, Drive Sober,  408 S. Harrison St., Ludington, MI 49431.