Woodlands area bar owners start shuttle to curb drunken driving

Shuttle bus driver John Steeland, right, watches as customers Brent Rabel, from left, Russell Whitmire, Matthew and Jenni Falgione, Kristin McCabe and Luke Ford, all of The Woodlands, climb on the Montgomery County Bar Owners Alliance and WALT Inc. shuttle service bus for a trip to another bar. The shuttle offer rides, for a fee, to bars in south Montgomery County. less Shuttle bus driver John Steeland, right, watches as customers Brent Rabel, from left, Russell Whitmire, Matthew and Jenni Falgione, Kristin McCabe and Luke Ford, all of The Woodlands, climb on the Montgomery ... more Photo: David Hopper, Freelance Photo: David Hopper, Freelance Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Woodlands area bar owners start shuttle to curb drunken driving 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Last summer, Montgomery County saw two fatal drunken driving accidents in the span of 48 hours, and some residents pinned the blame on the local bars.

"There were statements that characterized us as loading the gun and firing the bullet," said Chip Jackson, owner of Tewbeleaux's Sports Bar. "But I want nothing more than to see my customers get home safe and be able to come out again another day."

Jackson and other bar owners and managers of the Rayford/Sawdust and Interstate 45 area knew individually the actions they were taking to be responsible. Jackson, on several occasions, has even driven patrons home himself.

About four months ago local bars officially united to form the Montgomery County Bar Owners Alliance and since then have made numerous partnerships focusing on safe and sober driving.

"We are a group of like-minded business owners that came together to basically try to make a positive impact to the community, and to do what we can to get people home safely when they come out to our establishments," said eXit 73's Marty Wilgers.

To be a MCBOA member, a bar has to have a designated driver rewards program, said Wilgers, who also is the representative for the alliance. Both eXit 73 and Tewbeleaux's give declared designated drivers a free meal, endless nonalcoholic drinks and a chance to win $100 every month, but it varies at each restaurant.

The alliance, shortly after its formation, began brainstorming safer alternatives to driving after a night out. Cab service is an unreliable option because it can take over two hours to arrive and even longer past 10 p.m.

To Walt Zanek, the solution was clear - a local shuttle service.

More Information At a glance WALT inc.: Shuttle bus service. Call Walt at 832-253-6760. Includes bars eXit 73, Tewbeleaux's, Ranch Hill, Rookies, Papa's Ice House or The 19th Hole Grill and Bar Milstead Automotive's Last Call: Milstead will take you and your vehicle home, as long as it's within 10 miles of pick-up. 281-367-3535

"The only way to really be effective at safe driving is to have people leave their car at home," Zanek said.

Four years ago, he started his company, WALT inc., in the Willowbrook Mall area, but because of logistical problems, his efforts were delayed. The bus is up and running now, navigating the four -to-five-mile radius around the Jones Road and FM 1960 intersection.

The shuttle is popular yet financially insecure, Zanek says.

"So far the Willowbrook bus has only been supported by my paycheck," he said. "It has been an experiment, but I just can't afford to pay a driver."

What WALT inc. needs to be successful in this area, as well as to expand to new areas, is to be able to sell advertising to be placed on the bus.

Six of the MCBOA's bars, interested in Zanek's idea, purchased all of the ads for Zanek's second bus in The Woodlands area.

The Woodlands-area shuttle, just like the Willowbrook one, picks up at any home in the four-mile radius from the Rayford/Sawdust and I-45 intersection, and takes you to eXit 73, Tewbeleaux's, Ranch Hill, Rookies, Papa's Ice House or The 19th Hole Grill and Bar.

Both the Willowbrook and The Woodlands-area shuttles run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. until the last rider is home safe, for just $15, or $25 for a couple. For groups of three or more leaving from and returning to the same place, the charge is $10. Responsible drivers can call ahead or the night of for this service or can be driven home, one-way, for $10.

Milstead Automotive also offers a similar service in The Woodlands with its Last Call program.

For $50, Milstead will take you and your car home, as long as it's within 10 miles of pick-up, after a night of overindulgence.

But these programs, while successful in keeping some dangerous drivers off the road, are not enough.

The MCBOA is still looking for more alternatives to driving drunk and Zanek is looking for more places to expand his service. But he needs more sponsorship in the form of bus advertisements.

"If I get more buses in each area then I can actually make a difference," Zanek said.

In January, Zanek hopes to make the Willowbrook shuttle self-sufficient by pushing to sell all the ads the bus can hold. After that, he wants to expand to a new area, and is considering Copperfield next. Expansion is key, said Zanek, because the more buses he has, the more drunken driving accidents he can prevent.

"Every time I have to turn someone down, that's a potential accident," Zanek said. "And I feel somewhat responsible that I don't have a way of picking these people up. So that's why I need to get people to support me."