Mayor’s Column: Voorhees Township to join Evesham Saves Lives program for 30-day trial
In an effort to make our community safer by reducing the incidence of drunk driving, Voorhees Township will join the Evesham Saves Lives Program for a 30-day trial period from Dec. 18, 2015 through Jan. 15, 2016.
At a press conference on Dec. 15, members of the Evesham and Voorhees local governments, police departments and business associations announced the partnership, the first of its kind in the country.
In September, Evesham Township and Uber unveiled a new initiative which covers the cost, through a mix of contributions from local foundations, donors and businesses, for Uber rides home from Evesham’s restaurants and bars during the hours of 9 p.m. — 2 a.m. Two months into the pilot program, DWI arrests in Evesham have dropped by more than 66 percent.
No tax dollars are used for the program.
Voorhees will have a reciprocal arrangement with Evesham. Uber vehicles will provide free rides home to either Voorhees or Evesham residents from participating establishments in both townships.
During the trial period, any Voorhees or Evesham resident who opens the Uber app at one of the participating restaurants/bars will see a “safe ride” option at the bottom of the screen. A free Uber ride home will be provided. The free service will not be provided from one establishment to another.
Voorhees Police Chief Lou Bordi is a strong proponent of the program since it not only saves lives, but also saves our police department time and money by reducing the number of DWIs to be processed. This allows our officers to spend more time on other community policing measures.
On Dec. 4, a meeting was held with representatives of all Voorhees’ restaurants/bars who expressed strong support of the program. These include Catelli Duo, Iron Hill Brewery, The Library II, Olive Garden Restaurant, The Mansion at Main Street, Burger 21, Rodizio Grill, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and the new Ott’s which will soon be opening at the former Friendly’s Restaurant site in the Ritz Center. The initiative keeps customers safe while encouraging residents to frequent Voorhees and Evesham establishments, particularly during the holiday season.
If the pilot program proves to be successful, we will look to make the Voorhees Saves Lives initiative a permanent part of our community.
**Santa Claus has arrived at the Voorhees Town Center! He will be available for photographs Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about holiday events, visit www.voorheestowncenter.com.
