An interview with a designated driver

What's your favorite part of your job?
Meeting so many different people. Most of the time, customers are so happy and grateful that we picked them up and got them home safely.

What's your least favorite part?
Driving across the city only to find that the customer has decided to leave, either with another service because they've booked with multiple companies to see who would get there first or they've made the risky decision to drive themselves. The company has had to implement a policy where we get a credit card for each booking and if the customer is a no show and hasn't called to cancel, we at least receive $50 for wasting our time driving to a location for no reason and potentially losing another trip.

What are the most expensive cars you've driven?
I myself have driven a Bentley, Masserati, Porsch and an Audi S7 and a Ferrari.

What's your favorite?
Honestly, there are so many beautiful cars out there, some are super fun to drive, some are very luxurious, but my favorite would have to be the Audi S7.

What's the most difficult part of the job?
On rare occasions, customers sometimes fall asleep and they are very difficult to wake to get payment and then you have to help them to the door when they aren't very steady on their feet. There are occasions when a couple might be having an argument and it can make for an awkward drive home, but at least they didn't jump in the car and drive away intoxicated and angry.

Do you feel your job is making a difference?
100%. Making sure my customer gets home safely is my top priority and I get to make some money doing it. It's very upsetting to be driving around the city and seeing emergency vehicles at the scene of a crash. You always wonder if the cause was drinking and driving and you pray that everyone survived. They should have called "DEZZ".

I bet you have some stories to tell.
I sure do but I don't want them put down in writing.

How long have you been doing designated driving?
Approximately 7 years. It's a very rewarding job.

What do you accept for payment?
We use Square to take payment, but customers can use credit cards, debit, Apple Pay, or cash.

What's the longest trip you've ever done?
A few years back, we picked up a customer who had stopped in Sylvan Lake with some co-workers for lunch, which turned into a bit of a party. He had to be in Calgary for a meeting in the morning so he needed us to get him home.

We do service out of town customers as long as they are going to Calgary or from Calgary to a surrounding area. Service areas are listed on the company website. www DEZZ.ca

What are the busiest times for designated driver services?
Thursday -Saturday are usually the busiest during the week and specific holidays or festive events such as St. Patrick's Day, The Calgary Stampede, Halloween, Christmas Parties and, of course, NYE.

Final thoughts?
I know some people think we are expensive, but the alternative of drinking and driving could be much more devastating physically and financially. A 10km trip with us costs $54.50 before tip. The cost of being pulled over by the police is immeasurable, resulting in huge fines, court costs, legal fees in the tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention the stigma of being "that guy or girl" that caused a tragic accident. There are far reaching consequences to drinking and driving. It's naive to think "It Can't Happen To Me ",(Thank you, Charlie Major for writing this song!)