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A former Wisconsin State Patrol squad car adorned with a unique paint scheme that's half patrol car, half taxi and designed to warn of the dangers and expense of drunken driving recently won a national advertising award.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation's "Choose Your Ride" vehicle won a Silver ADDY award for second place in the public service/non-traditional category at the American Advertising Federation's National ADDY Awards. The awards were announced last week.

The high-mileage cruiser was destined for auction because the State Patrol could no longer use it for patrolling state highways. Instead, the State Patrol's Bureau of Transportation Safety spent $1,700 in federal funding for the design and painting. The "Choose Your Ride" vehicle was rolled out in June 2013 and appeared at 35 events last year.

The taxi paint scheme on the back half of the car says "This ride, about $20" and the squad car front half says "This ride more than $1,000."

The car won a Gold ADDY in the state competition in February and in the regional contest in Minneapolis in April.