Florida's Turnpike offering free coffee to Thanksgiving travelers during peak times
ORLANDO, Fla. - That drive to and from grandma's house for Thanksgiving can be quite long, so the Florida Department of Transportation wants to help out drivers by providing a caffeine boost -- free of charge!
Starting at 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, free coffee will be provided at Shell convenience stores on the Florida Turnpike and in the lobbies of the service plazas at the Turkey Lake, Canoe Creek, Fort Drum, Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach locations.
The complimentary coffee will be offered during the following peak travel times:
- 11 p.m., Wednesday, November 27 to 6 a.m., Thursday, November 28
- 11 p.m., Sunday, December 1 to 6 a.m., Monday, December 2
During the holidays, the State Farm Safety Patrol will also be providing around-the-clock coverage in urban areas and extended hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. north and south of Orlando.
According to AAA, nearly 50 million people will be hitting the roads this Thanksgiving. That's the most since 2005.
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To help keep the roads safe for travelers, the Florida Highway Patrol will be looking for aggressive drivers and people driving under the influence. Last year, FHP said there were 9,900 crashes across Florida during the Thanksgiving holiday.