An annual service providing free taxi rides for Lawrence residents on New Year’s Eve reported a spike in requests this year.

In its 28th year, the Tipsy Taxi offered by DCCCA provided free rides home to 835 people, up from 688 a year ago, according to Jen Jordan, a DCCCA spokeswoman.

The service is funded through donations from local businesses and individual donors, Jordan said. The funds raised help pay for advertising the service and the cost of transportation provided by GTS Taxi Service.

Jordan said $2,710 was pledged this year, although DCCCA has only received about $960 of that so far. She said DCCCA hopes to collect the rest of the donations this month to pay for the $2,005 bill from GTS and $1,370 in advertising and marketing costs. Jordan said money left over from last year covered some of this year’s costs, too.