The ‘Free Cuppa for the Driver’ initiative kicked off March 1 and will run through until May 31, with the aim of reducing fatigue related crashes on in-land roads.
The best part? Truckies are being encouraged to take advantage of the great road safety initiative.
Free Cuppa for the Driver, in its seventh year, allows drivers who have travelled more than 100 kilometres from the address on their drivers licence to qualify for a free cup of tea or coffee from a choice of 92 participating businesses in areas that stretch from the Queensland border down to the Victorian border in Central and South West NSW.
Road Safety Officer for Orange City and Cabonne Shire Councils, Andrea Hamilton-Vaughan, says this initiative targets drivers of all vehicles travelling in areas with NSW highways and roads that are the gateway to major cities, such as Melbourne and Brisbane.
These highways include the Castlereagh, Gwydir, Golden, Great Western, Hume, Mitchell, Newell and Oxley.
“Free Cuppa for the Driver doesn’t just target drivers travelling in cars or caravans but also heavy vehicles, because truck drivers also face the risk of becoming fatigued whilst driving,” Ms Hamilton-Vaughan said.
Communications Officer for Orange City Council Allan Reeder reiterated the importance of heavy vehicles, saying truck drivers are encouraged to drop in at a participating café and enjoy a free cuppa.
“Many of our cafés have heavy vehicle drivers as their regular clients and view truck road safety as an important priority,” Mr Reeder said.
“These businesses are putting their hand in their pocket for road safety, and it’s certainly worth their while to give up a few dollars.”
Drivers can use the Free Cuppa for the Driver App and its GPS tracking technology to find a nearby participating business and the type of parking available.
There is also a Free Cuppa website and Facebook page that offers useful information on participating businesses and the initiative itself. www.freecuppa.com.au
Since its inception in 2010, over 5,700 free cuppas have been given away from 185 participating businesses throughout 161 cities, towns and villages in Western NSW.