Dec 31, 2007 1:04 pm US/Pacific
Bus Drivers Will Be Designated Drivers, For Free
Some Orange County Bus Lines Will Remain Operating Free Until 4 a.m. New Year's Morning
SANTA ANA, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Officials hope to a void scenes like this one on New Year's Eve.(file)
The Journal News
The Orange County Transportation Authority will once again offer free New Year's Eve bus rides in an attempt to give residents another option besides driving drunk. The free buses will run from 6 p.m. Monday into the early hours of the next day, on January 1. In addition, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will offer free rides from 9 p.m. Monday until 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Joel Zlotnik of the OCTA says about 7,000 people used the free bus service last New Year's Eve.
Most Orange County buses stop running at 10:30 p.m., but four "Night Owl" lines will remain running until 4 a.m., servicing the core of the county.
Anyone planning on taking a bus should check schedules and make sure their bus will be making the return trip, Zlotnik said.
Last year's New Year Eve ridership figure of 7,000 compares to 560 riders between midnight and 4 a.m. Jan. 7-8, Zlotnik said.
"Night Owl" service is available the following routes:
-- No. 43, between La Habra and Costa Mesa, via Harbor/Whittier boulevards;
-- No. 50, between Long Beach and Orange, via Katella Avenue;
-- No. 57, between Brea and Newport Beach, via State College Boulevard/Bristol Street and,
-- No. 60, between Long Beach and Tustin, via Westminster Avenue/17th Street.
More schedule information is available by calling (714) 636-RIDE or using the OCTA Web site at www.octa.net.
In addition, all Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus and rail riders will ride for free between 9 p.m. Monday and 2 a.m. Tuesday.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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