February 3rd, 2010

CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS: New VIP driving service available at Detroit sports, entertainment service

By Bill Shea
Three of metro Detroit's sports and entertainment venues have inked a deal with Troybased driving service The Designate to provide VIP parking for anyone who uses the service.

Those who hire The Designate to drive them home, in their own vehicles, after events at Joe Louis Arena, The Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Energy Music Theatre can use the VIP lots at those places.

A text message or e-mail is used to show parking lot attendants that the user is permitted access to the lots.

The Designate uses a driver to take a person, who may not be sober enough to legally drive, home in their own car. A second car then picks up the driver.

The deal allows users to park in the Palace's north entrance 12B area, normally reserved for season-ticket holders, at VIP parking rates.

Customers will park for free in the VIP lot at DTE.

Red Wings fans will have access to VIP riverfront parking across from the Olympia Club entrance, at VIP parking rates, and must make reservations through The Designate prior to 5 p.m. the day prior to the game to guarantee parking availability, the company said in a statement.

The service is available now and continues throughout the 2009-2010 Detroit Pistons and Red Wings seasons as well as the entire 2010 summer concert lineup at the DTE.

“Our on-going goal is to provide the best experience possible for guests attending events at our venues,” said Palace Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tom Wilson said in a statement. “This service may provide an attractive option for our eventgoers.”

For details and fees, call (888) 929-8282

November 30th, 2009

WXYZ - Thanksgiving Eve with The Designate

November 26th, 2009

Thanksgiving Eve is Party Night

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) -
What's billed as the biggest party night of the year raises concerns about keeping roads safe.
Read more and watch the Designate featured in the WXYZ video.

November 10th, 2009

Fox2's Amy Lange checks out Goodwill's Bar Night with The Designate

September 13th, 2009

Voices of Detroit #38-The Designate with owner Tom Proctor

This is a very important edition of Voices of Detroit. Hosts Larry Henry and David Benjamin share with you information on a new service that is helping get drunk drivers off the road and safely home.

Tom Proctor is the owner and creator of The Designate. This is a service that comes and picks you up when you realize you've been over served. However, they also pick up your vehicle too and drive it home as there are two drivers on every call.

Please listen to this Voices of Detroit and share it with as many friends as you can to get the information on this important service known through out the community. Click here to listen to the whole podcast.

September 10th, 2009

Rickshaw event offers rides for MADD

For the last three years, one of the coolest parties in town has been held every Wednesday at one of Metro Detroit's most popular restaurants, Mon Jin Lau in Troy. On Sept. 2, Bryan Chin, whose family owns the celebrated Asian eatery, decided to take his Shanghai Wednesdays a step further.

Rickshaw, a charity event for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) was born. Rickshaw, the charity event, was all about designated drivers, and ways to avoid drinking and driving.

A variety of driving alternatives were offered for the evening, including free limousine rides from Luxury Limousine in Dearborn; consultations, gift cards and rides from The Designate, a designated driver service. Click here to read more.

December 31, 2008

The Designate's Safe Rides Covered on WJBK

The Designate was featured on WJBK's 5 PM newscast for the New Year's holiday, containing such information as our pricing schedule, our service area, and how the Designate drives you safely home in your own car.

The Designate's Safe Rides Covered on WXYZ

The Designate was covered on WXYZ's 6 PM newscast in advance of the New Year holiday, covering the service, pricing, and how the Designate works.

November 26, 2008

The Designate Featured on WJBK's Evening News Report on Thanksgiving Safety

WJBK-Fox 2 aired a story recently about the dangers of a possible drunk driving arrest and a possible way to avoid the pains of being behind bars—the Designate.

November 23, 2008

Article About the Designate Written in the Detroit Free Press

In advance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Designate was covered by the Detroit Free Press to highlight the Designate's unique services and worry-free wheeling. Click here to read the whole article.

October 28th, 2008

March 24th, 2008

Company offers rides to those who drink too much

With St. Patrick's Day looming a day away, or even if you just plan a night out that includes drinking, finding an alternative way home could save you thousands of dollars associated with a drunk driving ticket, not to mention your professional license and job.

"Society, from the standpoint of the legal system, is approaching zero tolerance and is not willing anymore to turn the other way," said Tom Proctor, 49, of Bloomfield Hills. Click here to read more.

December 10th, 2007

A safe ride home in your own car

It's the holidays, and if you're a boss, you know what that means.

Company parties and other festive shindigs may cause employees to drink more than usual. Some are tempted to get behind the wheel even though they are not sober.

That's why many companies around metro Detroit are signing up for a new designated-driver program that takes intoxicated workers home in their own cars.

The Designate -- the Birmingham-based firm that offers the service -- sends out two drivers to meet clients. One takes the worker home in his or her own car, the other trails behind to pick up the driver. The company can also arrange for workers to be driven from location to location in their own car. Click here to read more.

November 12th, 2007

On-call drivers aim for national sites

The Designate is a professional chauffeur service that provides customers with an on-call driver for their personal vehicle. Drivers, who work in teams, are available through a reservation or as needed. Possible users include people who are heading to Metro Detroit entertainment venues and want a safe ride home in their own vehicles if they have consumed adult beverages, said owner and founder Tom Proctor. Click here to read more.

November 4th, 2007

Birmingham designated drivers get you home safe

With the holidays just around the corner, the Designate could come in handy, especially if you overindulge at a party and can't reach anybody or find a taxi to get you home.The on-demand professional chauffeur service has insured, licensed drivers who must pass a background check that includes drug screening and twice-daily Breathalyzer tests. Click here to read more.

August 9th, 2007

Company drives home

A business that provides a service that will get people home in their own cars has been named the “Official Designated Driver” of the Woodward Dream Cruise.  The Birmingham –based business, called The Designate, began in January and serves customers in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.  After a customer calls, two drivers in a Designate car will head to the customer’s location.  One driver will then drive the customer home in the customer’s car followed the Designate tailing car.  The service also will drive customers from location to location throughout the evening. Click here to read more.

August 9th, 2007

Cruising the Smart Way: Companies offer shuttle, chauffer services

Car enthusiasts who don’t want to pay high gas prices only to idle it away in the bumper-to-bumper traffic associated with the Woodward Dream Cruise can still enjoy the day’s events.  The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation will offer free rides along the entire Woodward route, stretching all the way from the State Fairgrounds to Pontiac, on Aug. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Click here to read more.

August 9th, 2007

‘The Designate’ will drive Cruisers

The Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise has designated driver.
The Designate.  A Birmingham firm helping sponsor the Cruise has been named the “official Designated Driver” for the event.

The Designate provides on-call personal chauffeur services, serving Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties.  Whether for a special event, evening of entertaining or a night out.  The Designate drives customers home, in their own cars.  Click here to read more.

May 10th, 2007

The Designate steers drinkers clear

When veteran Birmingham entrepreneur Tom Proctor took a look around his world for his next business idea, one recurring observation remained at the front of his awareness like a blinking red light: America has a drinking problem.
But the problem is not the drinking itself, Proctor says. It’s the inability of American society to separate the culture of business and social drinking from the sacrosanct culture of the automobile. It’s not that Americans love to drink and drive, he says. It’s that in a metropolitan area such as Detroit, with little public transportation and taxi service, there are really not many alternatives. Click here to read more.