Vault: Jim Valentine, founder of Zingo on the line

Summary

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The Bert Show Vault: Jim Valentine, Founder of Zingo

Episode Date: July 21, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode features a candid and informative interview with Jim Valentine, founder of Zingo, a unique designated driver service in Atlanta. The Bert Show crew delves into how Zingo operates, its backstory, and the need for safer alternatives to driving under the influence—all with their signature blend of humor and authenticity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction and Gratitude (00:32 – 01:13)

• Jim Valentine calls in after hearing the show mention Zingo, expressing thanks for the publicity.

• The crew jokes about Bert being a frequent user of such services.

  “I just wanted to call and thank you guys. I appreciate your dimension, I really do.”
  — Jim Valentine (00:46)

2. How Zingo Works (01:13 – 02:00)

• The service is designed for people who can't or shouldn't drive home after drinking.

• How to arrange a Zingo pickup:

  • Call or text the Dispatch line: 404-67-ZINGO (404-679-4646), ideally 30 minutes in advance due to scooter travel speed limits.
  • Zingo operates mainly inside the Perimeter (ITP, Buckhead, Midtown, the Highlands), but will travel farther as needed.
  • For deals and updates, text “ZINGO” to 41411.

  “When you're finishing ordering your last drink, you know, give us a call or text us... and we'll take you anywhere you need to go.”
  — Jim Valentine (01:38)

3. The Origin Story of Zingo (02:00 – 03:38)

• Zingo started five years ago, inspired by a European concept seen by a friend.

• The company was founded to address the high inconvenience factor that stops people from leaving their cars overnight and encourages risky decisions.

• Personal background: One investor, Paxton Head, lost his best friend in a college DUI crash.

  “We provide really the only solution to the number one reason people drink and drive, and that’s the inconvenience of leaving your car.”
  — Jim Valentine (03:23)

4. Costs, Coverage, and Deals (03:39 – 04:53)

• Out-of-town pickups: Available in areas like Alpharetta for a $30 pickup fee ($20 city pickup), plus $2/mile.

• Discount: Texting “ZINGO” to 41411 gives $5 off your ride.

• Comparatively, Zingo is cheaper than a two-way cab or a DUI.

  “It’s a hell of a lot cheaper than a dui, for sure.”
  — Bert (04:14) “Our tagline is your ride, your tunes, you're safe. So it's like having your own chauffeur in your own car.”
  — Jim Valentine (04:46)

5. Practical Tips and Listener Insights (05:03 – 05:33)

• Relying on hungover friends the next morning isn’t practical; Zingo solves the “next day” car dilemma.

• The group upends popular myths about designated drivers, stressing the prevalence of partial sobriety rather than abstinence.

  “Statistics show... it's not that the designated driver isn't drinking; it's just that they're less drunk than everybody else in the car.”
  — Bert (05:18)

6. Zingo for UGA Fans and Long-Distance Service (05:36 – 05:48)

• Zingo will do long-distance pickups, e.g., from Athens for UGA games, for about $175 with advance notice.

  “If you go up to Athens during the season, they will come and they'll get you... I think it's 175 bucks and they drive you back down from Athens.”
  — Bert (05:36)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On convenience:
  “We've all been there, you know, you can't leave your car there. You got to be at work the next day.”
  — Jim Valentine (03:14)

• On peer pressure and designated drivers:
  “I thought a designated driver wasn't supposed to drink at all.”
  — Radio Show Co-host (05:27)
  “No, you're not supposed to, but everybody else is drinking around you. So I'll just have one.”
  — Bert (05:28)

• On price and safety:
  “It’s actually cheaper than a two way cab as well.”
  — Jim Valentine (04:23)

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Useful Timestamps for Key Segments

• Zingo call-in and intro: 00:32 – 01:13
• How Zingo works & deal info: 01:13 – 02:00
• Company origin & mission: 02:00 – 03:38
• Pricing breakdown: 03:39 – 04:14
• Why Zingo is better than other options: 04:14 – 04:53
• Tips for users & DD myths: 05:03 – 05:33
• Long-distance/UGA fans info: 05:36 – 05:48

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Final Thoughts

The episode highlights how Zingo offers a practical, safer, and often more affordable alternative to drinking and driving in Atlanta and beyond. Jim Valentine’s passion for the mission is clear, and The Bert Show crew brings humor and personal anecdotes, reinforcing the importance of responsible choices after a night out.

Listeners are encouraged to check out Zingo for hassle-free, safe rides in their own cars—while enjoying their own music and without risking a DUI.

Transcript

[Bert]

Hey, everybody.

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[Vert Show Announcer]

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[Bert]

Good morning, Jim. You're on Q100.

[Jim Valentine]

Hey, guys. Bert, this is Jim Valentine. I'm the founder and owner of Zyngo.

[Bert]

Where was my scooter on Saturday night?

[Spinquest Advertiser]

Man, I'm winning my scooter.

[Jim Valentine]

I haven't ridden one in a while. But yeah, our guys are out there and man, I just got a bunch of phone calls from friends saying that you guys were talking about us. And I just wanted to call and thank you guys. I appreciate your dimension, I really do.

[Bert]

Sure, it's no problem.

[Radio Show Co-host]

Bert drinks like mad.

[Bert]

Oh, yeah, I'll call you all the time.

[Radio Show Co-host]

He's a good person to have on your team because he's drunk right now. He's probably going to Zingo home from the radio station.

[Jim Valentine]

From the radio station this morning if we need to.

[Caller/Listener]

I've got a couple questions for you. One, what's the best way to use it? And then two, I want to know the story behind it, the real story

[Jim Valentine]

behind it, the best way to use it. It's pretty simple. If you call our Dispatch line, which 40467 Zingo 6794646, we generally ask that you call about 30 minutes in advance.

[Caller/Listener]

Okay.

[Jim Valentine]

Because, you know, our guys ride scooters that go 30 miles an hour and they can't quite get across town that quickly. So just, you know, when you're finishing ordering your last drink, you know, give us a call or text us. You can text that same number and we'll send a driver out to you and we'll take you anywhere you need to go. We originate mostly out of, you know, the itp, Buckhead, Midtown, the Highlands. But we'll drive, you know, we'll drive you as far as you need to go. We take people home to Alpharetta and Suwannee. And so it's. Yeah, it works pretty well. So that's the best way that, the best way to get on our. We have an opt in list. You can text. If you text zingo Zingo to 41411. We send out blast, you know, once a day given deals. So that's a good, good thing to do. Text XINGO to 4 1, get information. And then as far as how it started, we started it five years ago based on a friend of mine sent me a text. It seemed this in Europe and so we brought it to Atlanta five years ago. Me and a couple other guys started it and have grown ever since. I think you guys had mentioned a gentleman you were talking about, Paxton Head, who had been involved in a, a crash in college. He's one of our investors and he was involved in an accident in college where his best friend died. And a heart wrenching story. You can see that on some of the press we've had on our website. But yeah, we just, we love operating this business. We serve a lot of folks here and we provide really the only solution to the number one reason people drink and drive and that's the inconvenience of leaving your car. We've all been there, you know, you can't leave your car there. You got to be at work the next day. And so people think, you know, they have a couple glasses of water and they think they're okay. And then, you know, then the rest is, you know, we know what happens.

[Vert Show Announcer]

So.

[Caller/Listener]

Right.

[Bert]

Did I hear you at the front of this conversation say you only do in town or like, let's say I'm in Alpharetta and I get my drink on our own, I'm further out than that. Will you find me there?

[Jim Valentine]

If you're in Alpharetta, we, we do pickups out there, but it's, it's, we don't have an operation out in Alpharetto. So what we do in that case is we charge a fee. Our pickup fee is $20 plus $2 per mile. And if we pick you up out In Alpharetta, it's $30 pickup fee. But if you, if you text that zingo to 41411 it's automatically five bucks off if you just show our driver that you have that in your phone.

[Bert]

Oh really? Okay. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper. I know that's a cliche. A hell of a lot cheaper than a dui, for sure. So yeah, thanks a lot for picking me up this weekend because it was awesome, dude.

[Jim Valentine]

Yeah, thank you so much. And it's actually cheaper than a two way cab as well. And so you know when you go out with your friends, if you're going to take A cab out and home, Zingo's cheap. Doesn't count. You know, also if you take a cab to a certain bar and that bar is lame, you know, we've all done that and you have to take a cab to another bar, you know, your cab fares can, can quickly add up. So great value. Our tagline is your ride, your tunes, you're safe. So it's like having your own chauffeur in your own car. So it's really a nice experience.

[Bert]

And we're going to go ahead. We'll link up to it from our [e-mail]. All right, Jim, Thanks a lot, man.

[Jim Valentine]

Hey guys, thank you so much. I'm going to send you guys emails with some goodies for you guys. I appreciate it.

[Bert]

Thank you, dude.

[Radio Show Co-host]

Just so you know, to keep in mind this in mind, if you're going to call Zingo is the next morning when you're like, I was going to call my buddy and he'll take me to my car. They're all going to be as hungover as you are.

[Caller/Listener]

Yeah. They're not waking up.

[Radio Show Co-host]

No. So when you got to be somewhere at like 11am and you call them at 9:30.

[Bert]

And statistics show, also with the designated driver thing, it's not that the designated driver isn't drinking, it's just that they're less drunk than everybody else in the car. Yeah.

[Radio Show Co-host]

Thought a designated driver wasn't supposed to drink at all.

[Bert]

No, you're not supposed to, but everybody else is drinking around you. So I'll just have one.

[Jim Valentine]

Just have two. I'll be out, right?

[Bert]

And again, for you UGA fans, if you go up to Athens during the season, they will come and they'll get you. You just got to schedule it in advance and I think it's 175 bucks and they drive you back down from Athens. The whole car. Here.

[Vert Show Announcer]

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