Transportation options for New Years Eve

The countdown is on to New Year’s Eve. There’s just 48 hours to go until the biggest parties of the year begin. And police, public transit and cab companies are gearing up for a very busy night.

As we prepare to close the door on 2014, many people are planning to ring in the new year with a gathering of family and friends. Others will be working hard to make sure everyone gets home safe and sound.

Hamilton police are getting geared up for one of the busiest nights of the year. Constable Claus Wagner says it will be all hands on deck for almost two days: “We are going to be doing ride lanes from early in the afternoon on the night of the 31st right through to well into the afternoon of the first day of the new year.”

That’s because many people don’t realize they could still be legally drunk the day after drinking.

Wagner: “Even though you may think you’re not impaired, you may still have enough alcohol to lose your licence for three, seven or 30 days.”

He says it takes an average of ten hours, after night of booze for it to be safe to drive.

So cab companies are preparing for a busy night as well. Blue Line Taxi will have everyone one of its 250 cabs on the road and a full house at dispatch. The average wait could be an hour or more at peak times so they are asking people to try to double up.

Anthony Rizzuto, Blue Line Taxi: “So if they are leaving a party and there’s five people going to the east end, then we would try to group them together.”

Blue Line is taking advance bookings until 10pm New Year’s Eve but after that, it’s first come, first serve. The busiest time is between 1:30 and 4:30am.

And if you’re really lucky, you could get a ride in the Christmas cab. It’s now all decked out as the New Year’s cab. Bret has been doing this for 15 years. Brett why do you do this?: “I do it mainly to give a little Christmas spirit at this time of year. When they get in the car they’re a little surprised.”

Another surprise you might get on New Year’s Eve is if you’re taking the HSR.

Wendy Ariens-Tomes, Hamilton Street Railway: “It’s free, after 6pm courtesy of the city.”

It’s running on the regular schedule with the last buses running at 1am or 1:20am.

GO Transit is also free as are the St. Catharines buses. Oakville is offering extended hours.

Blue Line Taxi says it will do approximately 10,000 rides New Year’s Eve. The free Hamilton buses will cost the city about $100,000 for the one night.