On Thanksgiving Eve Ubers Are Free In Parts Of MA

While Thanksgiving is the big holiday, for many, the party starts the night before. Thanksgiving Eve has become the biggest drinking night of the year, taking on nicknames like "Drunksgiving" or "Blackout Wednesday." In an effort to prevent drunken driving, Uber teamed up with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to offer free rides in parts of Massachusetts on Wednesday night.

The program isn't statewide yet. Massachusetts towns eligible for this service are: All of Berkshire, Franklin, Hamden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. Communities of Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Medfield, Millis, Natick, Sherborn, Sudbury, Wayland.

The rides are being offered for people taking trips in communities from Framingham to the Berkshires. Residents and visitors can enter the promo code SAFERIDEMA19 into the Uber app by navigating to the menu, tapping Payment, and then Add Promo. This will unlock a free ride up to $10 on Thanksgiving Eve. The free rides are available between 9pm on Wednesday, November 27th and 3am on Thursday, November 28th. Availability is limited.

The initiative follows a highly successful program last year that ran throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Eve represent the beginning of the holiday season when there is a known increase in instances of impaired driving. Uber, MADD, and elected leaders are urging people to seek safe transportation options as they get together and celebrate the holiday. According to MADD, more than 1,000 people die nationally between Thanksgiving and New Years due to impaired driving crashes; with the night before Thanksgiving being the deadliest night during the holiday season.

“Thanksgiving Eve serves as the kickoff to the holiday season, but this time of joyous celebration can serve as a catalyst for drunk driving tragedies,” said Mary Kate Depamphilis, Program Director, MADD Massachusetts. “We are asking people to plan ahead and leave your car at home. By making Uber your designated driver, you are doing your part to help end drunk driving and make our roads safer.”

“We know that the day before Thanksgiving is a time that friends get together to celebrate,” said Koosie Boggs, Head of Rides for New England, Uber. “We want to make it easy for riders to make Uber their designated driver, get home safely, and keep everyone else on the roads safe as well. We launched this program last year and, by continuing our work with MADD and our local legislators, we hope to continue to promote safe driving options during this holiday season.”

According to MADD Massachusetts’s 2018 data, 33 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state were due to impaired driving, resulting in 120 annual drunk driving deaths.

An independent study conducted by Temple University found that Uber’s entrance into various cities in California resulted in a 5 percent decrease in the number of people killed in alcohol-related car crashes. Uber also surveyed its U.S. rider base, and respondents said Uber has helped them make safe decisions to get home.