Picture this: It’s New Year’s Eve, and you’re excited to enter 2024 with your best foot forward. Your vision board’s been completed for a week, all your resolutions and action plans are typed in your Notes app, and now all you want to do is go out with friends and sing Tate McRae’s “Greedy” at the top of your lungs while enjoying a few Peppermint White Russian Cutwaters (yay to finally being 21). You’ve got the outfit, the makeup, and the playlist all set. Sounds like you’re ready to go, right? Wrong. One of the most important things you need to plan for is your ride home because drinking and driving is never an option.Â
Luckily, many cities, states, and local businesses understand the importance of getting home safely after a night out, and have partnered with Uber, Lyft, and local taxi services to offer discounts and ride reimbursements that’ll help you get back home to your warm, cozy bed. It’s a total win-win situation that not only keeps you safe, but also gives your wallet a well-deserved break after all your holiday fun.
To aid your New Year’s Eve prep, I’ve compiled a list of safe ride promotions happening across the country! And if you don’t find what you’re looking for here, don’t be afraid to search for programs near you or come up with alternative plans — tons of law firms offer reimbursement options, and there’s nothing wrong with being your group’s designated driver. (Starting off the new year without a hangover doesn’t sound too bad to me!)
- Arkansas & Missouri: Free Uber or Lyft Rides Up to $25
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The Cottrell Law Office is once again offering their Free Sober Holiday Rides program for rides in Rogers, Arkansas, and Joplin, Missouri, between 5 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve and 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day. To receive your refund, mail your receipt, a copy of your driver’s license, and the email linked to your PayPal account to the office listed on their website. Only the first 100 submissions will receive refunds up to $25, which means you’ll have to act fast!
- California: Free New Year’s Eve Rides
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California knows how to party, so here are some of the best free ride deals throughout the state.
- San Francisco: Free rides up to $35 provided by Ottinger Employment Lawyers.
- Los Angeles: Free bus and rail rides from 9 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 2 a.m. on New Year’s Day.Â
- San Diego: Free rides up to $30 provided by the Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC.Â
- Turlock: Free rides up to $35 provided by Silvia Injury Law.Â
- Colorado: Free New Year’s Eve Rides
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Colorado is home to not just one, but two rideshare reimbursement programs! The first comes from the Wilhite Law Firm, which has been reimbursing Colorado residents for holiday rideshares since 2006. All you need to do is fill out a short form on the firm’s website by providing your name, contact info, photo ID, and copy of your receipt for any Uber, Lyft, or taxi ride, and you’re covered for up to $35. This applies to residents only!
And now, for another Colorado special made just for Boulder! The Ferrell Law Firm is reimbursing rides up to $30 (including tip) that either start or end in Boulder or its surrounding area. To receive your refund, email a copy of your receipt, photo ID, and mailing address to mike@colo-dui-lawyer.com. The firm only covers 25 reimbursements per holiday, so keep that in mind when planning to submit your receipts!
- Florida: Exact promotion TBD
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Florida girlies, get ready! This year, Farah & Farah Law Firm is expanding their Safe Ride Home program to include Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ft. Myers, and Savannah! The vouchers will be available on their website and social media starting Wednesday, Dec. 27, so remember to be on the lookout for a great deal coming soon!
- New York: Free Uber Ride Up to $200
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The Harding Mazzotti, LLP Rideshare Home program is a total gamechanger — they’re offering free Uber rides home from partner locations all year long! The firm currently partners with five local businesses throughout eastern New York including Albany, Troy, Saratoga, and Glens Falls. To redeem your free ride home, visit one of these businesses and scan its Rideshare Home QR code to receive your free Uber voucher. You must be picked up from that location for the promotion to work, so don’t wander too far while you wait!
- Oregon: $5 Off Uber or Lyft & Up to $10 Off Taxi Fare
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Listen up, Portland! The city is offering $5 off your Uber or Lyft rides, so set a reminder now for 4 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to access the promo code on their website. But don’t worry if you forget: Portland is working with over 40 different locations throughout the city to provide physical coupons for $10 off your taxi trip. Just look for posters promoting the offer, ask a staff member for a coupon, and you’re all set!
It’s also good to know that public transportation services will be offering free rides starting at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. (TriMet will also be offering free rides on MAX, buses, and Portland Streetcar beginning at 8 p.m.) Codes and coupons are valid from 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day while supplies last.
- Texas: Free New Year’s Eve Rides
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As one of the largest cities in the country, Houston is home to a wide variety of NYE events, and Armstrong Lee & Baker LLP wants to help people get home safely. The firm will cover rides in the greater Houston area from 5 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day with a max value of $35 (includes tip of up to 10% only). Just submit a screenshot of your receipt and copy of your ID to the form on their website, and you’re good to go! Like the other promotions, participation is limited to 50 submissions. I’d recommend setting a reminder for New Year’s Day, so you don’t miss out!
And shout out to Zimmerman Law Firm for helping to keep Waco residents safe during another busy holiday season. The firm is reimbursing rides up to $25 from 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Check out their website for more details!
- Washington, D.C.: Free Lyft Ride Up to $15
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If you’re planning on spending New Year’s Eve in the nation’s capital, you’re in luck. The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is continuing its SoberRide program, offering free Lyft rides worth up to $15. The program runs from Dec. 15 through Jan. 1, with promo codes releasing at 9 p.m. local time on their website on Dec. 15, Dec. 22, and Dec. 31. Valid while supplies last.
- Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Minnesota: Free Public Transit Rides
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Molson Coors Beverage Company (responsible for bar favorites like Blue Moon, Miller Lite, and Coors Light) is continuing its tradition of sponsoring Free Rides programs on New Year’s Eve, providing free bus, rail, and train rides to residents across the country. Here’s all the cities they’re partnering with this year.
- Milwaukee: Free public transit rides from 8 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day .
- Chicago: Fare-free rides from 10 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
- Charlotte: Free transportation from 5 a.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 2 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
- Dallas: Free rides from 6 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve through end of service.
- Denver: Free Regional Transportation District (RTD) transit rides from 7 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve to 7 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
- Phoenix: Free Valley Metro rides from 7 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve through end of service.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul: Fare-free rides from 6 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve through end of service.
