A booze bus aimed at shipping rowdy revellers home from pubs over the thirsty Summer months was officially unveiled in Bowral on Monday.
And amid the throng of politicians, police officers and publicans, Adam and Karen Owens emerged as the human face of the Summer Bus initiative.
After a big night out at the pub last year, Adam Owens was making the trek to his Moss Vale home when he was pulled up and arrested for drink driving.
But rather than reoffend or be consumed by bitterness, Adam decided to take a course that would change his perceptions of drinking and driving forever.
And it was that driver awareness course which was the genesis of the summer bus idea and convinced the couple to push ahead for it.
"It really made us see the impact that drink driving has an impact on not just drivers, but emergency workers, ambulance crews and a whole range of people," Mrs Owens said.
"Ever since we realised that we've been bugging council's road safety officer Kim Davis to get a bus like this up and going."
And after months of negotiation and hard slog, the gleaming new Summer Bus will finally be on the road on Friday and Saturday nights from mid-November and coming to a pub near you.
The program, which will take revellers to virtually their front door for just a gold coin donation, is a joint effort between council, the RTA, police, Berrima Coaches, Illawarra Health and members of the Southern Highlands Liquor accord.
At the official opening, a host of speakers welcomed the initiative, with many saying it would tackle the problem of drink-walking as well as drink-driving.
"I'm thrilled to be part of the launch and it's something the Grand and the Bowral Hotel are very passionate about," Southern Highlands Liquor Accord chairman John Griggs said.
"I have heard that 70 per cent of police work is alcohol related and if this can help ease the burden then it's a success.
"The timing of the launch is perfect and hopefully it can help get people home and also address drink-driving and drink-walking related crime."
A similar initiative has been trialled in Wollongong and other surrounding areas with organisers hailing them a success.
But Mayor Phil Yeo warned that it was the patrons that had to be sold on the idea and said he was hopeful it would be embraced as a 'cool' way to get home.
"There is no doubt going to be a phase in period where this has to become macho or cool to do," Mayor Yeo said.
"Hopefully the people that use it will see it as something associated with being a responsible citizen and it will be seen as cool.
"But this is a very important launch, especially as we draw closer to the festive season."
Mayor Yeo thanked council's road safety officer Kim Davis and Damian Feeney from Illawarra Health for their strong contribution towards the project.
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