We expect the police to keep our roads safe. That is why we owe them the best enforcement and educational tools to ensure impaired drivers cause less harm to all members of our community.
So let us introduce you to Alexa’s Bus.
Alexa’s Bus is a mobile blood alcohol testing unit that uses a customized bus/RV as a platform dedicated to impaired driving education and enforcement. Alexa’s Bus currently does not exist in BC, but is being used in similar forms with significant success in other North American jurisdictions such as Alberta, Ontario and Washington State.
The concept of an Alexa’s Bus type of police tool has proven to be so effective in Australia - there are now over 20 in operation in that country and are a major component of that country’s impaired driving enforcement and education strategy. These so called “Booze Buses” have been credited as being one of the major factors in delivering significant reductions in impairment related road fatalities in that country. Click here to learn more of the Australia’s Booze Bus.
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- Australia
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- Calgary
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- Washington
Alexa’s Buses are designed to be:
- Highly visible billboards displaying Alexa’s picture and splashing powerful messages designed to deter impaired drivers
- Act as mobile classrooms to teach people about the real consequences of impaired driving
- Contain all the space and equipment required to collect evidence and process impaired drivers efficiently and effectively at roadside locations
Education and enforcement
As an educational tool, the bus would travel to schools where students would visit and learn all about the police booking process. It would also be placed at community events such as the PNE or the Abbotsford Air Show.
As an enforcement tool, the bus would reduce the time it takes police to process impaired drivers. Officers would no longer have to leave the roadside to take suspects back to detachments or departments. This would allow them to complete the booking process faster and get back to the roadside sooner than they can now.
The Investment and Time-Line of Alexa’s Bus
- The capital/acquisition cost of each Alexa’s Bus – when customized to our specific layout and capability- is in the range of $250K CAD
- Given our calculated need of 5 individual units in BC, our overall capital investment is targeted at $1.25M CAD over a 3 year period
- The in-service life of each bus has been estimated at over 5 years
- The in-service date of the first Alexa’s Bus is planned for 3Q 2011
- The RCMP and the BC Government has agreed to fund all operational costs of Alexa’s Bus including training, maintenance, staffing, insurance and telecommunications
- Charitable contributions: As we have charitable status through a partnership with BCAA, our donors and sponsors are entitled to CRA compliant, charitable receipts
