COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos DWI Planning Council and Atomic City Transit (ACT) are very pleased with the number of people who chose to take advantage of the free safe ride services this past New Year’s Eve holiday.
A total of 89 trips were provided (nine Friday, Dec.30 and 80 Saturday, Dec. 31). The New Year’s Eve number is a growth of 98 percent from last year’s total. ACT reported that they did not have to deny anyone a ride this year for lack of a bus to serve them, and the average scheduled time compared to requested time was less than one minute. They attribute this punctuality to having multiple drivers.
The two organizations made a concerted effort to advertise in as many ways as possible including radio, newspaper, flyers, and social media. ACT and the Los Alamos County Communications Office reported that they had 24 likes, three shares and reached 2,011 residents using posts about the service on Facebook. Getting the word out early and often was key to ensuring high numbers.
Jonathan Henley, the ACT supervisor on duty for the program, commented on the successful ridership numbers.
“This was a wonderful program and it was great to be out at all the establishments to let patrons and employees know the Buzz Bus would be coming by for last call at the end of the night. We were happy to offer a ride to any person that needed one. This program is great for the citizens and the community, as it keeps everyone safe and allows everyone to celebrate without having to worry about drinking and driving,” Henley said.
Acting Chair Diane Noveroske of the Los Alamos DWI Council said she was also pleased with the number of requests for safe rides.
“Thank you to the responsible people who made a good decision and took the Buzz Bus. Thank you also to Los Alamos County for providing this valuable service. The Los Alamos DWI Planning Council was happy to be able to help provide this service in response to requests and a need in the community,” she said.
The DWI Planning Council will be incorporating the data gathered from this successful event into the final stages of their strategic planning work. The results of the DWI Community Survey that was completed in the summer indicated a need for safe ride services. In response to the community’s feedback, this event was planned as a first step in building a more permanent partnership with ACT to provide this type of service.
For questions about the Buzz Bus service, or, for individuals interested in joining the DWI Planning Council, contact DWI Program Coordinator Kirsten Bell at kirsten.bell@lacnm.us or 505.662.8241.
