New Jersey town, in effort to stem drunken driving, offers to be residents' designated driver

MARLTON, N.J. – A southern New Jersey town hopes to end drunken driving by being its residents' designated driver.

Evesham Township will operate a shuttle system to take people home from bars on weekends as part of a 30-day pilot program.

NJ.com (http://bit.ly/1EzThV4) reports the shuttle will make five stops near nine drinking establishments around the Burlington County town.

A company called Sober Sam that drives people and their vehicles home from bars also will provide free rides for township residents.

Mayor Randy Brown encourages the town's 45,000 residents to have a great time, telling them he'll get them "home for free."

Police Chief Christopher Chew says there hasn't been a fatal drunken-driving crash in town in six years. But police are on pace to arrest more than 220 people on driving while intoxicated charges this year.

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Information from: NJ.com, http://www.nj.com