Be My Designated Driver opens service in Denver just in time for Memorial Day weekend
Date Posted:
Fri, May 27 2011,
Westword.com - Denver, CO
By Michael Roberts, Fri., May 27 2011 at 12:22 PM
Drunk driving of the sort that allegedly took the life of Lilly Duncan earlier this month is always a concern, but even more so during a three-day weekend like Memorial Day. With that in mind, BeMyDD.com, a new designated-driver service, has just launched in Denver. How does it work?
Alexa Milkovich, BeMyDD.com co-owner and chief marketing officer, provides the details from her home base in Ohio, one of fifteen states where the year-old service is currently operating.
"There are two ways we do it," she says. "The first one, which we're really trying to push, is for people who are planning ahead. If you know you're going out and consuming alcohol, you can reserve a driver who'll come to your home, leave their vehicle there, and then drive you in your car anywhere you want to go for $14.50 an hour.
"They don't go in the bar with you; they wait in the car, and they're not allowed to take it anywhere without your permission. But if you tell them, 'Pick up my friend and bring them back to the bar,' they can do that. They'll do whatever you want them to do. The cost isn't based on mileage or a head count -- it's strictly by the hour. And you don't have to pay for parking. They'll drop you off, find a place on the street, and then come get you when you call."
The other alternative? "You can call when you're out," Milkovich says. "We ask that you call at least an hour prior to when you need a driver; the response time is anywhere between thirty and 45 minutes, depending on what time of night it is and where you're located." The price for option two is $25 for the initial pickup fee, then $2.95 a mile for the first ten miles, after which the rate goes down to $1.50 per mile. "If you're two miles away from home, a cab may be more useful," she concedes, "but if you're going anywhere beyond ten miles away, it could be more effective to use our services."
Milkovich was just in Denver to hire the first batch of BeMyDD.com drivers -- more than forty of them. She stresses that all passed stringent background checks (they can't have felonies on their record or past DUIs, among other things), are skilled at driving automatics or sticks, and have a good knowledge of the area.
People interested in trying out the service can order through the website linked above or by phoning 1-877-UBEMYDD (877-823-6933). The drivers also work during the day, offering transportation to doctors appointments and the like. But when the parties start, Milkovich expects that they will, too.
Drunk driving of the sort that allegedly took the life of Lilly Duncan earlier this month is always a concern, but even more so during a three-day weekend like Memorial Day. With that in mind, BeMyDD.com, a new designated-driver service, has just launched in Denver. How does it work?
Alexa Milkovich, BeMyDD.com co-owner and chief marketing officer, provides the details from her home base in Ohio, one of fifteen states where the year-old service is currently operating.
"There are two ways we do it," she says. "The first one, which we're really trying to push, is for people who are planning ahead. If you know you're going out and consuming alcohol, you can reserve a driver who'll come to your home, leave their vehicle there, and then drive you in your car anywhere you want to go for $14.50 an hour.
"They don't go in the bar with you; they wait in the car, and they're not allowed to take it anywhere without your permission. But if you tell them, 'Pick up my friend and bring them back to the bar,' they can do that. They'll do whatever you want them to do. The cost isn't based on mileage or a head count -- it's strictly by the hour. And you don't have to pay for parking. They'll drop you off, find a place on the street, and then come get you when you call."
The other alternative? "You can call when you're out," Milkovich says. "We ask that you call at least an hour prior to when you need a driver; the response time is anywhere between thirty and 45 minutes, depending on what time of night it is and where you're located." The price for option two is $25 for the initial pickup fee, then $2.95 a mile for the first ten miles, after which the rate goes down to $1.50 per mile. "If you're two miles away from home, a cab may be more useful," she concedes, "but if you're going anywhere beyond ten miles away, it could be more effective to use our services."
Milkovich was just in Denver to hire the first batch of BeMyDD.com drivers -- more than forty of them. She stresses that all passed stringent background checks (they can't have felonies on their record or past DUIs, among other things), are skilled at driving automatics or sticks, and have a good knowledge of the area.
People interested in trying out the service can order through the website linked above or by phoning 1-877-UBEMYDD (877-823-6933). The drivers also work during the day, offering transportation to doctors appointments and the like. But when the parties start, Milkovich expects that they will, too.