The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the North County Transit District (NCTD) are offering free rides and extended service Tuesday night.
“Drinking and driving is never an option,” said MTS board vice chair Steve Goble. “We all have a responsibility to make safe choices, and there are plenty of alternatives for getting around safely.”
According to Caltrans, about 14% of fatal crashes throughout the year involve at least one driver under the influence of alcohol. That rate goes up to 42% on New Year’s Eve.
Capt. Reggie Williams, commander of the San Diego area for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), said those crashes are preventable.
“Those numbers represent people — people who have been impacted by an impaired driver,” Williams said. “That includes the arrests. It includes the crashes, the injuries, and unfortunately, the untimely and tragic loss of life that results from DUI incidents.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have arrested nearly 1,000 people so far this year for impaired driving. They said legal and court fees from an arrest and conviction can cost more than $15,000.
“Not only will it cost you monetarily, it will cost you your time,” Williams said. “It will impact your ability to drive a vehicle. It impacts your ability to hold down a job.”
He said the CHP will have additional officers on patrol to “aggressively” seek out impaired drivers Tuesday night.
Free MTS bus and trolley service begins at 6 p.m. Service will extend later into the night on all MTS trolley lines. The last Green Line trolley will leave the Gaslamp Station at 2:08 a.m.
More information on free rides and late-night service is available on the MTS website.
The North County Transit District’s free service also begins at 6 p.m. The last southbound COASTER will leave the Oceanside Transit Center at 10:36 p.m. The last northbound COASTER will leave from the Santa Fe Depot at 1:20 a.m.
The SPRINTER will also have additional late-night trips between Oceanside and Escondido.
More information is available on the transit district’s website.
