Good Policy

We seem to devote, in various ways, a lot of resources to preventing people from driving drunk, from education and ad campaigns to, of course, police enforcement. The generally unacknowledged truth is that basically everyone who drives somewhere and drinks on a regular basis occasionally (or more frequently) drives over the legal limit. And the other generally unacknowledged truth is that people with money for good lawyers find ways to get around their DUI charges. Late night public transit provides another option for people.

Nightclubbers can raise a glass to this: Metro light rail could be on the verge of offering late-night service on weekends.

Trains now begin their final runs on the 20-mile line at 11 p.m. But Metro officials will propose Wednesday that, starting July 1, the last runs begin at 2 a.m. for late Friday- and Saturday-night revelers.

This is in Phoenix. But, anyway, too many places seem to stop their major services just a little bit too early. Philly subways stop at about 12:30, but overnight bus replacement on those routes and overnight bus/trolley service on other major routes within the city does exist. Cabs within the city are also an available and reasonably affordable option. It's a bit more of a problem for people coming into the city, though the've made small steps towards having expanded late night regional rail service. The PATCO train to New Jersey runs all night, if not all that frequently, so drink up garden staters!