For more information, contact:
Julie Kubasa, Miller Brewing Company
414-931-4208/ 414-467-6687 (mobile)
kubasa.julie@mbco.com
Miller Free Rides® Program Helps Make Roads Safer on New Year’s Eve
MILWAUKEE (December 20, 2005) – Miller Brewing Company today announced it is partnering with the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and Waukesha Metro to offer the Miller Free Rides® program in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties on New Year’s Eve.
“At Miller, we want the holidays to be a joyful time of the year,” said Kristin Kaplan Wolfe, director of alcohol responsibility initiatives for Miller Brewing Company. “When people drive drunk and hurt themselves and others, the holidays become memorable for all the wrong reasons. That’s why we are proud to be able to offer Miller Free Rides to help keep our roads and families safe.”
The New Year’s Eve Miller Free Rides® program will offer free bus service starting at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 31. Route and schedule information for both transit systems is available at www.millerfreerides.com or by calling
1-800-FREE RIDES (1-800-373-3743).
“It is our goal to keep the nation’s roads as safe as possible by working to prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel of a car,” said Bob Stempel, chairman of the National Commission Against Drunk Driving. “Drunk driving is avoidable and Miller Free Rides makes it easy to get home safely.”
The 2005 Miller Free Rides® program is supported by Miller Brands, Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department, Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District, Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee Safety Commission, North Water Street Tavern and Restaurant Association, Preventing Alcohol-Related Crashes (PARC), Walker’s Point Association, Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher, Waukesha County Executive Daniel Vrakas, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, Waukesha Police Department, Westown Association, W.O.W. Distributing, Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, and Wisconsin Troopers’ Association.
“It is crucial to keep drunk drivers off the streets and maintain the safety of our roads,” said Casey Perry, executive director of the Wisconsin Troopers’ Association. “The Miller Free Rides program is a great collaborative effort, and we encourage everyone making plans for New Year’s Eve to ride the bus, designate a driver or use another transportation alternative.”
Miller Free Rides® will provide service to many popular holiday destinations, including restaurants, bars, local family events and neighborhood celebrations, to help ensure a safer New Year’s Eve for all.
“We are proud of our involvement in the Miller Free Rides program for the past 18 years,” said Kenneth J. Warren, managing director of MCTS. “This community service program has provided more than 250,000 free rides over the years, and we hope those who are out celebrating this year will again decide to leave the driving to us.”
This is the 18th consecutive year for the drunk driving prevention and community service program in the Milwaukee area and the 12th consecutive year for the Waukesha program.
“Miller Free Rides is also a great way to help people realize the convenience and ease of riding the bus,” said Robert Johnson, transit director of Waukesha Metro. “We encourage everyone to leave their cars at home and take the bus this New Year’s Eve.”
Committed to creating strong communities across America, Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company invests millions of dollars each year through community initiatives, taxes paid and local goods and services purchased. The company’s platform for corporate social investment and community partnership is Miller REACH™, which focuses on five primary causes: Responsibility, Employment, AIDS/HIV, Cultural Diversity and Heritage Initiatives. Miller is the oldest major brewer in America, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2005, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller plc, one of the world’s largest brewers. More information about Miller Brewing Company is available at the company’s corporate web site, www.MillerBrewing.com.
