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Evesham Saving Lives program expands to Voorhees

Date Posted: Wed, Dec 16 2015, Courier Post
VOORHEES - Randy Brown is getting his wish.

The Evesham mayor said a few months ago he was hopeful the Evesham Saving Lives program was something other towns would want to join.

The 3-month-old anti-drunken-driving initiative, which gets residents home safely after a night out on the town, is already considered a success, officials said, with more than 800 residents taking advantage of the program.

Now it’s being expanded via a partnership with neighboring Voorhees. A pilot program will kick off here Dec. 18 and run through Jan. 15, officials announced Tuesday.

With corporate partners Uber and BeMyDD, residents in Voorhees can get a free Uber ride home or have BeMyDD take them and their car home after a night out at local Voorhees bars and restaurants.

It’s a reciprocal program; Evesham and Voorhees residents will have the option to take free rides home from locations in either township.

There are 28 total restaurants and bars involved — 19 in Evesham and nine in Voorhees — where residents can get free rides from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. through at least Jan. 15.

“When we started this idea in the summertime of bringing our residents home, I was hopeful we’d be able to get the program off the ground through Evesham,” Brown said. “Because of the amazing partnerships we’ve had with Uber and BeMyDD and the success we’ve had, we are now here today to announce the first-of-its kind partnership with another town in the Evesham Saving Lives program.

“As all of you know, this program was first in the United States back in September. But to be able to partner now with another community that’s not just so close to us in proximity, but also as close to us in business principles and business practices.“

Brown and Voorhees Mayor Michael Mignogna recently spoke about the Evesham Saving Lives program at a meeting in Atlantic City. Brown said Mignogna was open to the idea and wanted to learn more about it. The two got various officials together from both towns to discuss the idea and worked it out.

Officials are hopeful more partnerships can be established in South Jersey.

“I believe this is a very important partnership,” Mignogna said. “One thing the mayor and I both agree, as elected officials, we believe our most important role is to keep our residents and their families safe. When the mayor approached me about doing this wonderful program, I thought it was a great idea. We met and talked about how effective the program was and what we could do to make the program even better.

“In a matter of a few weeks, we developed a partnership. All nine bars and restaurants in Voorhees Township have agreed to be part of this. Combined with the bars and restaurants in Evesham, it makes a wonderful marriage of the two communities. We believe based on the results that Evesham has had in reducing drunk driving arrests, it’s a win-win.”

Voorhees and Evesham residents can download the Evesham Police Department's smartphone app — available on Google Play and the iTunes App Store — which includes a Safe Ride feature that connects to Uber or BeMyDD.

The program will not cost residents any money, Mignogna said. The rides will be paid for through a mix of contributions from private donations and local foundations and businesses.

He said his town will initially be part of the Evesham Saving Lives program for 30 days but plans to keep the program around for years to come.

Brown said officers have made only two drunken-driving arrests of Evesham residents leaving one of the 19 establishments since the implementation of the program .

“We said we wanted to save lives. We said we wanted to make a difference in the community, and this program has effectively eliminated DUI arrests,” Brown said. “It’s such a minimum in Evesham, we can call these first four months a success.”

Evesham Lt. Joseph Friel said DUI arrests are down significantly. In the five months prior to the implementation, there were 109 DUI arrests in town. There have been 27 in the past three months.

Voorhees Police Chief Louis Bordi said it was a “no-brainer” for them to get involved with the program.

“If the roads are safer, we’re certainly in favor of that,” he said.

“We know that when people have a safe, reliable way to get a ride home, they make smarter choices, and instances of drunk driving are reduced,” said Ana Mahony, general manager for Uber New Jersey. “Expanding this program to Voorhees is a sign of its success in Evesham.”