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KAMLOOPS - With so many safe ride home options in Kamloops during the holiday season, it's a wonder why people drink and drive at all in the city.

If you're planning on having a few drinks on New Year's Eve, and don't have a designated ride home, consider these options before you go out.

BC Transit is extending the hours of bus service in the city on Dec. 31. If you're heading from Gleneagles to downtown, you can travel as late as 1:40 a.m., or 1:10 a.m. if you're heading to Upper Sahali.

If you're travelling within Aberdeen, you can take a bus as late as 1:16 a.m. or if you're travelling downtown, the last bus to take is 1:42 a.m.

For people in Bachelor Heights, you can travel within the neighbourhood until 12:20 a.m. or to the North Shore until 12:32 a.m.

From Dallas to downtown, buses will travel as late as 1:49 a.m., or 1:25 a.m. if you're heading to Barnhartvale, BC Wildlife Park or within Dallas.

Commuters travelling from Tranquille or Parkcrest to Brock can take a bus as late as 1:09 a.m., or 1:34 a.m. to go downtown. If you're travelling within Westsyde, buses can run as late as 1:10 a.m. or take you downtown until 1:24 a.m.

As far as bus loops go, the last bus out of Fraser and 9th is 12:22 a.m., for Battle and 11th it's 12:25 a.m., out of Royal Inland Hospital is 12:31 a.m. and the Lansdowne Exchange is 12:38 a.m.

There are several stops within each neighbourhood, so go here to check the closest stop to you.

Buses will not be running New Year's Day.

If you'd rather take your own vehicle to and from a New Year's Eve event, you can call the always popular Operation Red Nose, which charges by donation. Coun. Donovan Cavers has been promoting the service in recent weeks over social media, as he is set to volunteer with the group on New Year's Eve.

It's the organization's 20th year of providing safe rides home for people over the holiday season and they expect New Year's Eve to be their busiest night. You can call Operation Red Nose to get you and your vehicle home safely between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. Dec. 31 at 250-372-5110.

There is also ZERO Tolerance Designated Drivers. It's more expensive than Operation Red Nose, but can be useful if you're quoted a two-hour wait time from other services. ZERO Tolerance operate Wednesday to Saturday from 4 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. servicing Kamloops and surrounding areas.

According to their Facebook page, customers are charged $25 for the first four kilometres of their journey and then $5 for every four kilometres after that. You can pre-book a driver, and book for special events, parties and weddings. Two volunteers will arrive to take you and your car home safely.

You can contact ZERO Tolerance at 778-220-9376.

Another service that will get you and your car home is "Drinkin' Thinkin' Driving Service." They're operating from 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. on New Year's Eve into New Year's Day. The company charges $20 for the first four kilometres and $5 for every four kilometres after that. 

You can contact Drinkin' Thinkin' Driving Service at 250-682-8024.

As always, you can call Kami Cabs at 250-374-9999 or Yellow Cab at 250-374-3333.

– This story was updated at 11:56 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016 to include the Drinkin' Thinkin' Ride Service. Thank you to reader Melanie Lamb-Girard for pointing it out.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2016