A new shuttle service for bar-goers has been established in South Montgomery County with the goal of taking potential drunken drivers off the road and providing safe rides to customers.

The new service is being operated by Walt Inc. and is supported and sponsored by the Montgomery County Bar Owners Alliance. The shuttle will operate Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights between 7 p.m. and about 4 a.m. and serve about a 4-mile radius of the I-45 and Sawdust/Rayford Road intersection.

" I am personally excited that we've been able to get a group of businesses together to kick off the shuttle service here in Montgomery County," said Marty Wilgers, communications coordinator for the Montgomery County Bar Owners Alliance. "While I wish that this shuttle could solve all of the issues of drinking and driving in the community, it cannot. However, the shuttle does provide a viable alternative on busy nights, and it helps our organization promote the goal of responsibility."

The shuttle will pick up customers wishing to visit bars along the Sawdust Road/Rayford Road corridor that are members of the alliance, including eXit 73, Ranch Hill, Tewbeleauxs, Rookie's Sports Bar, Papa's Ice House and the 19^th Hole, and provide them rides home.

The cost for a round-trip ride is $15 per person or $25 per couple.

According to the Alliance, the service is open to anyone and the service area represents those in which the customers of the nearby bars live. The shuttle service will not include sites in Harris County.

The Montgomery County Bar Owners Alliance was formed in July to promote alcohol responsibility and as a tool for business owners to positively impact the community, patrons, employees and businesses. The Alliance consists of the participating bars in the shuttle bus program, as well as The Exchange, Goose's Acre, Wolfies and Red Brick Tavern in Conroe.

The establishment of the Alliance came in the wake of a two accidents in three days this summer that resulted in five deaths. The drivers who allegedly caused the accidents have been suspected of visiting some of the bars in the Sawdust Road/Rayford Road corridor, which have come under fire for potentially over-serving the alleged drivers during their visits.

Both of the drivers entered I-45 going in the wrong direction, which resulted in the fatal accidents.