The Right Choice

COEUR d'ALENE - Justin Galletti and Nick Leonard may be the best friends you ever had, at least when you've had a few too many.

The two 2007 Coeur d'Alene High School graduates teamed up to offer a new service, The Right Choice, taking not only individuals home from a night on the town, but also their vehicle.

"We are trying to take away the hassle of getting back to your car, or someone breaking in to your car," Galletti said.

For a base rate of $25 for up to 10 miles, one will drive the customer home in the customer's vehicle, while the other follows to pick up the driver.

Shorter distances for less money will be at the discretion of the owners, but the 10-mile range will cover most of the need. Distances over 10 miles will cost $35.

"We don't want to take people to Spokane," Galletti said.

He works at Olive Garden and got the idea from a co-worker from Las Vegas who said it was a popular service there.

Both will be on call around the clock, but expect Fridays and weekends to keep them busy.

"If people call us at 3 in the morning, we've got to make a few sacrifices to get ahead," Galletti said.

In Coeur d'Alene typical taxi service costs $4.50 for the first mile and $2 per additional mile, so a 10-mile ride would cost more than $20. Galletti and Leonard will only make one stop, unless other passengers live close by, however.

But the real cost of drinking and driving is often far higher, whether legal fees and fines for a DUI, or worse, an accident that injures or kills someone.

"This will help with the DUI rate," Galletti said.

Just in time, as Idaho State Police and other agencies will be adding emphasis patrols targeting impaired driving later this month and throughout the rest of the year, said Capt. Clark Rollins with ISP.

"It is effort well spent," he said. "People drink and get fortified and think they can drink and drive."

For those who have experienced a DUI, it is something they do not want to go through again, he said.

"The bottom line is, if they can get their cars off the street it will avoid fatalities," Rollins said.

The Right Choice drivers will require proof of insurance for any vehicle they drive, and will require the owner to sign a consent form giving them the right to operate the vehicle.

They will also do a walkaround of the vehicle to make sure it is safe, log mileage and photograph any damages to protect themselves from false claims. Before making a pickup they will ask if all necessary safety equipment is working.

"We will drive anything as long as it is legal," Leonard said.

He said he knows too many people who have gotten DUIs.

"It's expensive," he said.

Leonard, born and raised in Coeur d'Alene in a family that dates back to 1870 in the area, said the idea is not just about money.

"We're trying to give back," he said. "We want to make it where people don't think twice about calling us. When they have to get up at 6 in the morning to go to work, it's more comfortable than hopping into a cab."

Information: 704-7081 (Galletti) or 661-2324 (Leonard)