Central Coast safe ride options this New Year’s

SALINAS, Calif. (KION)

We all know the important line- "drive sober or get pulled over." This year make sure that if you are drinking during your New Year's celebration to ring in 2020, you have a safe way to get home.

Here are some option offered to people on the Central Coast:

MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT:

If you are wearing a button for the First Night Monterey New Year's Eve celebration you can ride MST, including MST RIDES ADA paratransit service, for free starting 3 P.M.

There is a park-and-ride option from Del Monte Center at the bus stop where you can catch a ride to Monterey Transit Plaza. The buses run for free every ten minutes between 3 P.M. and 1 A.M.

More details on getting home to Monterey Transit Plaza are pasted below.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY:

The Capitola Police Department is once again offering people in the area a ride home. From 10 P.M. to 3 A.M. they are giving people a lift between Capitola, Live Oak, Soquel and Seacliff.

Call 831-475-4242

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

If you are heading up to the Bay Area, you can snag a $10 ride credit from Lyft. This is through the California Office of Traffic Safety from a $20,000 grant from the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The credits are available to both new and existing Lyft riders.

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE:

According to California Highway Patrol, at least 25 people were killed in collisions involving impaired drivers during their 102-hour New Year's Maximum Enforcement Period in 2018. 270 others were injured. CHP made 1,140 arrests in that period.

Monterey-area CHP tells KION there were seven DUI arrests on New Year's Eve/New Year's Day in 2018.

Getting home (from the Monterey Transit Plaza):

·         Shuttle to Del Monte Center: Return trips every 10 minutes until 1:12 AM.         

·         New Monterey: Board regular Saturday Line 1 with last trip at 7:00 PM, or a special Line 2 with last trip departing at 12:30 AM.

·         Pacific Grove: For service to Forest Hill and downtown Pacific Grove, board regular Saturday lines 1 or 2. Last bus via Line 1 is 7:00 PM. Last trip via a special Line 2 is 12:30 AM.

·         Carmel: Board regular Saturday Line 24 Carmel Rancho with the last trip departing at 12:30 AM. No late night trips to Carmel Valley.

·         Seaside and Sand City: Board regular Saturday scheduled JAZZ A Sand City via Hilby with the last trip departing at 2:30 AM, or board a special JAZZ B Sand City via Broadway departing at 12:30 AM.

·         Marina and Salinas: Board regular Saturday Line 20 operating from Sand City Station until 2:49 AM. Catch JAZZ A at Monterey Transit Plaza to access this service. For direct service to Salinas via Marina, board Line 20 special trip departing at 12:30 AM, service to the CSUMB Visitor Center, Preston Park, and Schoonover Park on this trip will be available upon request.

·         MST RIDES: ADA paratransit service will be available by reservation within three-quarters of a mile of any of the above fixed-route service for those registered in the program.