BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — NYE is one of the busiest days surrounding DUI's. GET BUS & DDI are providing free rides to Bakersfield residents from 6pm-11pm and DDI is servicing from 7pm to 2am.
- Bakersfield Police Department have accumulated 758 DUI arrest in 2024 so far.
- This is the first year GET Bus has brought this service back since the pandemic.
- Check points will be throughout the county to keep residents safe during the holiday.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The New Year is hours away, and the safety of the community is important to multiple companies throughout the county. I'm Eric J. Dockery, your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter. New Year's Eve is one of the biggest days for DUI arrests, and a few businesses want to help you make it home safe.
Multiple organizations across Kern County are offering free rides to members of the community, to ensure they make it home safely during the holiday. A couple of them include GET Bus, and DDI.
Juan Garza an associate attorney at Chain Cohn Clark said "Tonight, there is no excuse. There are free services to members of our community through DDI & through GET BUS. These services will be provided to get you, and you loved ones or you on your own to get you home safe. You don't want to hurt anybody or yourself or get yourself into trouble."
Garza tells me DDI will be providing free rides to the community from 7pm-2am. To get in contact they ask you call or text 661-431-3854 and GET BUS is offering free rides on their bus’s from 6pm-11pm, GET Bus recommends riders research either on the app or online to see when the bus will arrive and how far it is from your location.
Kathleen McNeil Marketing Manager with GET Bus said "We want to give back to the community, and support the community on a night like this. We want to join other organizations that are offering rides to keep our community members safe while they are out having fun."
In a text received from Eric Celedon BPD Public Information Officer he said "In the evening hours of New Year's Eve into the morning hours in the first of the year. Officers assigned to BPD traffic division will be providing supplemental, DUI saturation patrol throughout the city of Bakersfield. This is one of many ways that the BPD is proactively trying to prevent the tragic collisions that occur as a result of DUI"
As of the afternoon of Dec. 31, BPD has made 758 DUI arrests in 2024.
"Here in our law firm, we see the impact of people driving drunk every day. We have victims and families of victims that have been injured or killed as a result of a drunken driver and its terrible." said Garza
Organizers tell me drinking as little as one drink can relax your mood and affect your judgment. To be safe, call a ride. For 23 ABC I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter.
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