October 5, 2007 Business First of Louisville - by Ben Adkins Business First Staff Writer
Mark Roberts wants his business, CityScoot LLC, to make more money, sure.
But he also wants it to be "the most successful drunk-driving deterrent in history," a cause celebre for boozers everywhere -- and for anyone on the road, if those boozers climb behind the wheel of a vehicle after a night of over-imbibing.
So, Roberts is launching a "No Excuse for Drunk Driving" campaign Saturday at the 23rd annual Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft Bourbon Ball.
The campaign is a collaborative effort to prevent drunk driving, using CityScoot as a means to achieve that goal.
Louisville-based Brown-Forman Corp. and Republic National Distributing Co. -- a multi-state wine and spirits distributor with operations in Kentucky -- already have signed on as sponsors.
With representatives of distilleries such as Maker's Mark and Heaven Hill slated to attend the weekend event, Roberts hopes to garner additional support for the campaign.
Rob Frederick, director of corporate responsibility for Brown-Forman, said becoming a sponsor was an opportunity to put the words "corporate responsibility" into action.
"It made total sense to us," he said. "They seem to be a real-world solution to the problem of drunk driving and have shown effectiveness in getting people and their cars home safely."
Monthly plan
The campaign includes offering monthly service arrangements with food and beverage establishments, for which CityScoot drivers are readily available seven nights a week.
This allows patrons of subscribing establishments to use CityScoot at a reduced rate of just $10 -- the standard pickup fee -- for trips within a negotiated number of miles.
For longer trips, the regular $2 per mile rate would apply, in addition to the $10.
The cost for establishments can vary, depending on location and according to the radius they want CityScoot to cover before riders would have to pay the mileage rate. Additional corporate sponsorships might also affect rates, Roberts added.
Benefits for bars
As part of the campaign, CityScoot has partnered with insurance companies, which give participating establishments discounts on liquor liability rates -- an added incentive for them to take part.
And by subscribing to the service, Roberts said, bar owners can ease their consciences that they've made exhaustive efforts to ensure customer safety and possibly prevent costly lawsuits.
Cliff Amos, co-owner of Saints in St. Matthews, said the bar and restaurant started subscribing to CityScoot early last year.
Attempts to get inebriated customers a ride home often are met with protest, Amos said, but the ability to get their vehicles home makes CityScoot considerably more attractive than other options. "It makes us feel a lot more comfortable."
Looking for new ways to generate income
CityScoot's other subscribers are Brendan's and Zazoo's, also in St. Matthews, and Cahoots, in the Highlands.
The St. Matthews bars account for about 30 percent of the company's business -- a result, Roberts believes, of CityScoot drivers' physical presence, but also because subscribers promote the service.
Roberts said the subscription program "will quickly account for more than half" of his company's business, and he hopes it eventually will account for the majority of its customers.
The partnerships allow CityScoot to bulk up resources and expand the campaign to more establishments. Roberts plans to eventually double his staff of 15 -- which currently includes dispatchers, drivers and operations manager Liz Powers.
Growth expected to continue
Roberts declined to disclose CityScoot's revenue figures, but he said customer volume and revenue have grown more than 300 percent every year since opening. CityScoot also recently drove home its 20,000th customer -- a "milestone," Roberts said.
"Statistically, we've saved a handful of lives," he said. "That's already a priceless return."
Roberts intends to open franchises in such markets as Lexington, Nashville and Indianapolis.
"The service we provide is an executive-level service," he said. "It will become a social phenomenon."
CityScoot LLC
Description: Designated-driver service that takes customers home safely in their own vehicles
Address: 414 Baxter Ave.
Phone number: 56-NO-DUI (566-6384)
Number of employees: 15
Founded: 2004
No. of rides provided: More than 20,000
Web site: www.cityscoot.com
Owner: Mark Roberts
How it works
CityScoot drivers ride Di Blasi brand scooters, which fold up to fit into the trunk of a customer's car.
For a flat $10 pickup fee, plus $2 per mile, CityScoot drives customers home in their own vehicles, fully insured.
Customers are told in advance what the trip will cost, but the average is about $19.