By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Cameron Parke started his business, ZiggyZooms, with the goal of getting downtown Bowling Green bar patrons home safely after nights of over-indulging.
But in its three years of operation, the ride service has turned into much more than that. Parke and his team are providing rides from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., when other transit services are tucked in for the night.
So ZiggyZooms is partnering with the Cocoon to provide free transportation for survivors of sexual assault. It is bringing second shift workers home, and taking third shift employees to work. And it’s driving people home from the hospital when they are discharged after daytime hours.
In addition to branching out its services, Parke, the president and CEO of ZiggyZooms, is proud that the number of OVI arrests in Bowling Green have continued to see a decrease each year since the business’ start.
Bowling Green Police Division reported 189 OVI arrests in 2022, before ZiggyZooms offered rides home. Since then, the arrests have dropped to 148 in 2023, then 117 in 2024, and 111 in 2025.
“That gap represents the power of our service,” Parke said. “We just want to ensure that whatever comes after that good time is not danger.”
Since its inception in 2023, ZiggyZooms has provided more than 25,000 rides in Bowling Green between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Many of the regulars are people who work at night.
In early 2024, the ride service began partnering with a downtown restaurant to cater to the late-night need for transportation and cravings for food.
Teaming up with Call of the Canyon, at 109 N. Main St., the ride service provides late-night food on the go during the busy bar times of 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Located in the same downtown block as several bars, the “Canyon Express” service sells to-go food from a limited menu featuring items like “walking tacos,” mac and cheese, pretzels with queso, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Parke and his team have also been partnering with the Cocoon and Wood County Hospital to serve survivors of sexual assaults. ZiggyZooms drivers have gone through training from the Cocoon and transport survivors for free to the hospital and to the Cocoon.
“It’s for the greater good,” Parke said. “They rely on us.”
The late-night ride service also partners with Bowling Green State University, and purchased a commercial vehicle for its contract with BGSU.
Parke takes pride in the fact that ZiggyZooms provides timely service and sends caravans of cars that all show up together for large groups of riders going to or from bars.
The largest group transported so far included 19 riders.
“I’m pretty proud of the fact that we will be there on time,” Parke said.
Changes are being made to offer more options for ride scheduling. ZiggyZooms employees Tyler Baum, CIO and software developer, and Noah Glaze, software engineer, have developed an App for people who may prefer scheduling rides that way.
“They have taken ZiggyZooms to the next level,” Parke said of Baum and Glaze, who are graduating from BGSU in May.
That App is expected to be ready to roll out in about a month – and could be easier for intoxicated customers to use rather than making a phone call.
“We could curb even more DUIs – so they are getting home safely and not getting behind the wheel,” Parke said.
ZiggyZooms can still be reached by phone for rides at 419-484-4417. A dispatcher will tell the caller the name of the driver, make of car, and how soon it will arrive. The cost is $7 per person, with payments of cash, credit or Venmo accepted.
Eventually, Parke would like the ride service to be available around the clock. He is hoping to build the business’ fleet and hire more drivers. The business can be reached at ziggyzooms.com.
