Local companies will pick up drivers and tow their cars home
this weekend
Gilroy – The clock struck midnight long ago. The champagne bottles are dry. You’re ready to go home, you know you’re too tipsy to drive but you’re tempted to chance it rather than leave your car alone overnight.
Don’t do it.
Instead, call Bracco’s Towing & Transport, Inc. or AAA. Bracco’s Towing will pick-up drivers and tow their cars home from about 6pm on New Year’s Eve until noon on New Year’s Day.
And get this, it’s all free of charge.
The local company, which is based in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Hollister, began offering the service about six years ago and usually receives about 10 requests every New Year’s, said Bracco’s Manager Danny Rubalcava.
“If they’ve been drinking, we don’t want them to drive,” he said. “They don’t want to leave their car and they think they’re fine but they can barely walk.”
Bracco’s will tow the late night revelers within city limits but don’t expect them to serve as a personal chauffeur.
They’ll pick the caller up at the drinking hole and take them home but “we won’t take them from bar to bar,” said Rubalcava.
For Bracco’s free service call 847-5766 (Gilroy); 779-4760 (Morgan Hill) or 831-630-0380 (Hollister).
AAA is also debuting it’s own free program in Northern California, Nevada and Utah, called “Tipsy Toe.” Locals who call AAA will be routed to Gilroy’s Marx Towing, a AAA member, and towed for free within a seven mile zone.
Callers don’t need to be members to use the service this weekend.
“Tipsy Tow” will run from 6pm New Year’s Eve to 6am New Year’s Day. Call 800-222-4357 or 800-AAA-Help
Passengers, using either AAA or Bracco’s, will be dropped off at the driver’s home, if there’s enough room in the cab.
New Years partiers can also take advantage of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s free rides program. Service will be offered on all VTA buses, light rail lines and the Historic Trolley from 7pm Saturday to 4am Sunday.
Service will also be extended on the VTA’s Express Bus line 180 to the Fremont bus station. On the light rail, the Alum Rock to Santa Teresa and Mountain View to Winchester Light Rail Lines will operate longer to provide a safe travel alternative.
Call 321-2300, 321-2330 or 800-894-9908.
