{"id":20170,"date":"2016-11-04T13:13:14","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T17:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2016\/11\/new-car-services-get-impaired-drivers-and-their-vehicles-home-safely-after-revelry.html"},"modified":"2017-11-08T13:34:30","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T18:34:30","slug":"new-car-services-get-impaired-drivers-and-their-vehicles-home-safely-after-revelry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2016\/11\/new-car-services-get-impaired-drivers-and-their-vehicles-home-safely-after-revelry\/","title":{"rendered":"New Car Services Get Impaired Drivers, And Their Vehicles, Home Safely After Revelry"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\"blacktie-drivers-hc\"<\/a>
Erin Hutchins is the owner of Black Tie Drivers that offers, among other services, to get impaired drivers and their vehicles home safely. People can sign the van, making a pledge not to drive drunk.\u00a92016 Saratoga Photographer.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This holiday season, people can eat, drink and be merry and be able to summon a professional driver to get them and their car safely home.<\/div>\n

Two new companies, both owned by former taxicab drivers, provide that service.<\/p>\n

People don’t have to be drunk to order up a driver. Amanda Putnam of Saratoga Designated Car Service recalls being called to take someone home from her doctor’s office after an unexpected medical procedure made driving unwise.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Erin Hutchins, owner of Black Tie Drivers, said that a designated driver could be helpful for serious “Black Friday” shoppers.<\/p>\n

Putnam’s husband and co-owner of Saratoga Designated Car Service, Timothy Putnam, also drives a motorcycle. He can help out an impaired biker by driving home the motorcycle while his wife follows in the company’s “chase car.”<\/p>\n

Generally, drivers go out in teams of two: one to drive the client’s vehicle and the other, to follow behind to pick up and bring back the designated driver. Designated Driver also offers a regular taxi service.<\/p>\n

Black Tie Drivers offers a delivery service. For that, they use their own vehicles. They charge $10.<\/p>\n

Designated Drivers also does some deliveries but “it’s not a huge part of our business,” according to Amanda Putnam.<\/p>\n

Both companies are headquartered in Saratoga Springs but do not limit their services to that city. Black Tie goes to Albany, Lake George, Glens Falls and points in between.<\/p>\n

“We go pretty much everywhere,” Amanda Putnam said of Designated Driver.<\/p>\n

With the companies charging for their services by the mile, however, there is a natural limit to how far people will ask them to travel. Both companies charge $2 per mile, with a minimum flat rate, $20 for the first seven miles with Designated Driver; $20 for the first 10 miles with Black Tie.<\/p>\n

Designated Driver does not charge for additional passengers. However, there is a $5 fee to stop and drop one of them off. That company also offers gift cards for the holidays.<\/p>\n

Black Tie has three teams of drivers, including Erin’s parents, Kathy and Ken Hutchins, former taxi drivers who owned their own cab company, called ATaxi, until 2005.<\/p>\n

Designated Driver fields one or two teams during the week and four teams on weekends. During track season, those numbers doubled.<\/p>\n

While their services are available for any reason, the owners of both companies emphasize their potential role in reducing the incidence of people driving under the influence of alcohol.<\/p>\n

“We want to make the roads a safer place for everyone,” Erin Hutchins said.<\/p>\n

“We want to help cut down on drunk driving. We take pride in what we do. There is a huge need in Saratoga,” Amanda Putnam said.<\/p>\n

Designated Driver Car Service can be reached at 937-1330. Black Tie Drivers’ telephone number is 419-1888.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Erin Hutchins is the owner of Black Tie Drivers that offers, among other services, to get impaired drivers and their vehicles home safely. 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