AAA

AAA is striving to help reduce the number of DUIs and alcohol-related deaths on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day by offering a free tow — and a ride home — for drivers who overindulge.

"AAA has long been an advocate for traffic safety," said Matt Skryja, a spokesperson for AAA Northern California. "The Tipsy Tow program is just another example of that."

Twenty percent of all motorists in the past year have driven a motor vehicle within two hours of drinking alcohol, according to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study. Thirteen percent admit to having done so within the past 30 days.

To curb the number of drunken drivers on the roads on New Year's Eve, AAA will offer free rides home to Northern California residents — even if they are not AAA members — including the cities up and down the I-580 and 680 corridors.

 "There are no boundaries or exceptions," Skryja said.

Anyone can call for a free tow, including drivers, bartenders, and party hosts.

AAA will send a tow truck to transport the driver, the driver's vehicle and as many passengers as will fit safely inside the tow truck.

Rides will be given up to 10 miles from the pickup location.

"We want everyone to ring in the new year by having fun and enjoying the evening with friends and family," Skryja said, "But we want everyone to do it safely and responsibly."

Tipsy Tow will run from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. There are no reservations.

To get a ride, call 1-800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP), and tell the operator that you need a Tipsy Tow. The operator will send the next available tow truck to the location you provide.

AAA isn't the only company helping to keep drunken motorists off the roads.

BART will run trains later than usual to accommodate people celebrating Friday night and early Saturday. Trains will run past 1 a.m.

If you want to ride a bus, though, be careful which schedule you consult. Confusion has surrounded the County Connections bus schedule for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day after a misprint in the Contra Costa Times, according to the County Connections website.

County Connections' city buses will run a 300 series weekend-route Friday,  but will not run Saturday.

The weekend route extends service to 6:30 or 7 p.m., but in many cities service ends earlier. For route information, check the County Connections website.

Express buses will not run Friday.

In the past, County Connections has offered free rides on New Year's Eve but because of mandatory cutbacks will not provide free rides this year, said a County Connections customer service representative.

County Connections' administrative offices will be closed Friday, with no one available to answer phone calls or take messages.

With reduced city bus service, taxis will be picking up some of the slack.

Select bars will offering free rides, so call ahead to find out if your New Year's Eve destination has the service.

If you are traveling to the San Francisco area, keep in mind that all Municipal Railway trains and buses will offer free rides between 8 p.m. New Year's Eve and 6 a.m. New Year's Day. Additionally, extended service will be offered on some trains, and extra trains will run on the Muni Owl lines between 1 and 5 a.m.

Local cab companies

A Livermore Cab Company, 925-371-7600

Valley Cab Co. in Walnut Creek, 925-930-0808

Concord Express Taxi Cabs, 925-676-2222

Pleasanton Yellow Checker Taxi Cab, 925-924-1999

Silver Cab Company, 925-734-8888

Yellow Cab Co. of Tri-Valley, 925-820-1333

Dublin Yellow Cab, 925-999-9990

Danville Yellow Cab 925-460-9999

DeSoto Cab of San Ramon, 925-803-8294

San Ramon Cab, 925-479-0011