This Christmas/New Year season marks the fifth-best on record for local volunteers providing safe rides for party-goers.

Operation Red Nose (ORN) in Prince George combined for a total of 959 rides home in 2018 delivered by close to 200 volunteer drivers.

On New Year’s Eve, said to be the busiest night for the service, 157 rides were given to local residents between 9PM and 4AM, which included 87 volunteers and 24 road teams.

“We are the northern-most program in the province and we’ve been around for 21 years in Prince George,” said Spokesperson Andrea Johnson.

“The support we’ve gathered over the years is great and we keep getting repeat clients year after year; also the repeat volunteers, some of whom have done all nine nights with us for years and years.”

The City also finished second in the province this year for most safe rides; Kamloops topped the list with more than 1,300.

Donations were given in order to use ORN and the money will be going to support PG youth and amateur sport organizations.