RCMP in Nanaimo and on the Sunshine Coast are gearing up for a night of extra patrols as the holiday drinking and driving CounterAttack wraps up. And, if you don’t want to become one of their statistics there are quite a few options.
Operation Red Nose in Nanaimo is ready to field as many as 200 calls on New Year’s Eve. Volunteers show up and drive people home in their own vehicles. Coordinator Don Allan says requests for a safe ride home are way up this year compared to last year. Allan says he expects that trend to continue Tuesday night.
They’ll be operating from 9pm until the calls stop coming, which Allan says is usually around 5am. Allan says they could use more volunteer drivers. If you don’t already have plans, he says it’s a great chance to connect with other local volunteers and do something positive for the community.
Operation Red Nose can be reached at 250-755-6969.
A similar service is being offered by a private company on the Sunshine Coast called Responsible Ride. You can get details at responsibleride.ca
The Chatelech Secondary grad class is offering a designated driver service as a fundraiser, but they won’t be out on New Year’s Eve. For any time from January 1st to January 5th contact 604-885-0418.
Buses are also going to be free New Year’s Eve.
RDN Transit:
Modified regular service until 8:30pm
Free modified evening service from 8:30pm to 2:30am
Click here for the full New Year’s Eve schedule.
Sunshine Coast Transit:
Free trips after 7pm
With extra runs leaving Sechelt at 12:15 and 1:40am and leaving Gibsons at 1am and 2:20am
Click here for the full New Year’s Eve schedule.
