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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Ride the bus free on New Year's Eve

By: Joe Paraskevas

8/12/2008 11:07 AM | Comments: 2

The city announced Monday its broadest-reaching program to discourage people from drinking and driving on New Year’s Eve.

All transit service will be free between 7 p.m. and the end of service at about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 31.

Taking You Home for the Holidays represents the first time in 10 years Winnipeg Transit has offered free New Year’s Eve service, said Morley Calahan, Transit’s promotions supervisor.

In the past, free service was limited to a few routes and the hours following midnight.

"Primarily, what we’re trying to do is increase awareness (about drinking and driving) and get people off the streets," Calahan said.

The service is also sponsored by Molson brewery and radio station Power 97.

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2 Comments

Posted by:

December 8, 2008 at 8:42 PM

I agree. The problem on new years is never, oh, i don't have 2.25 so I'll drive instead, its the fact that most bars close at 2, you don't stumble out till 2:30. Buses should run later everyday, but especially on new years.

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Posted by:

December 8, 2008 at 12:21 PM

Most bars will be open and serving liquor until 3am that night. This is not the most generous transit could be. Why not extend service to 3:30 am, or all night (until 7am). Most revelers will be out much past 1AM.

If this city was serious about improving transit service and discouraging drinking and driving year round, they would do more.

I would suggest extending regular bus service, to at least 2:30am year round (most drinking and driving happens after bars close, not before). It would also be a good idea to offer late night tranfers. IE, if you purchase a bus fare after 10pm, your transfer is good until the end of service.

Alas, we won't see that. This city is to set on replacing bus shelters every couple years rather than doing any real improvements to the transit system.