4.10 Safe transport options
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Providing safe transport options to patrons is an important part of harm minimisation. What transport options are available and what role do you play in promoting them to patrons? |
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Anthony Sobb |
Anthony Sobb, Licensee, discusses the importance of providing safe transport options.
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Safe transport is not about getting someone to the point of intoxication and then chauffeuring them home. It’s far from that. It’s about ensuring that if somebody goes over the legal limit, which is more than three drinks in one hour, that they shouldn’t be driving, so therefore that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re past the point of intoxication as far as the community standards of behaviour are concerned, so it’s all about offering things, for example, like staff being able to call them taxis, possibly some courtesy buses, but I want to reiterate: it’s very very important, it’s not about getting them to the point of intoxication and then chauffeuring them home. It’s all about an ethos and a culture within your staff to promote that, and it could be something as simple as when they’re walking past and picking up a glass saying, ‘Do you know that we’re more than happy to organise a courtesy bus, that we do have the service of being able to call you a taxi, is anybody a designated driver here tonight, and by the way we’ll offer –‘ a possible idea may be that they drink soft drink for free. I know that some licensed premises have looked at that, but I think it’s about the staff having that in their ethos and the culture of the organisation, that from the person who picks up the glasses through to the person who works on the door through to the person who serves the alcohol, that everybody’s on the same page with understanding that it’s all about we have a moral and social obligation as a licensed premises and everybody on that premises plays a role in promoting that. |
Safe transport options, particularly late at night, should be promoted to patrons to reduce the potential for drink driving and road accidents. Depending on the nature and location of the venue, safe transport options can also reduce the potential for noise disturbances when patrons leave the premises. Getting patrons home safely and quietly are two key objectives in offering safe transport from a venue.
Many liquor accords have successfully implemented transport options for patrons of participating venues. This approach has the advantage of sharing limited resources, such as taxis, and reducing operating costs for venues.
Venue courtesy bus
Some venues offer the services of a venue courtesy bus which picks up and drops off customers. This service not only promotes the venue’s commitment to responsible service but can also assist in reducing the incidence of anti social behaviour, drink driving and drink walking.
Safe transport options include:
Taxis
Options include:
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making taxis as available and easy to use
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offering to call a taxi for your customers
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having a free phone available for customer usage to call a taxi
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displaying taxi signage
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promoting or offering discount taxi schemes
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taking part in taxi voucher schemes—these are sometimes introduced as a local liquor accord strategy.
Dial-a-driver
Options include:
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a taxi system that delivers a driver to take the customer home in their car
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displaying signage about the service in a visible spot.
Designated driver
Options include:
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encouraging groups to designate a sober driver
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providing designated drivers with free non-alcoholic drinks.
Promote public transport
A good strategy is making details of public transport available near the venue. This can include making details of bus/train/ferry timetables available and making announcements when the last scheduled bus/train/ferry is about to depart nearby.