By Josie Grove

Suspension of late night service is regarded as necessary by the MBTA.

The last late-night trains passed through Somerville’s lone subway station at Davis Square shortly after 2 a.m. on March 19. Train and bus service from midnight until 2 a.m. was a year-long pilot program introduced in March of 2014 and extended for another year in March 2015. The service’s cost outpaced its revenues. Although all MBTA service runs a deficit, this one was particularly large: revenues covered just 16.5% of the late-night service’s costs in 2014.

The MBTA’s decision to end late-night service was extremely unpopular: of 270 comments registered in January and February of this year, 260 supported continuing the service. Decreasing the MBTA’s operating deficit was a stronger priority, so the late night service has ended.

While the Red Line was the second most-used late night service, accounting for 23% of all late-night riders in 2014, not many took the train out to Somerville: Davis was the 20th most-trafficked station, with just over 300 entries per weekend night.

On Friday night, Jeff Quierasio was working the door at The Burren, a bar on Elm Street near the Red Line station. “I love the idea of the late night T,” he said, “but with [car service] Uber and all…” For Quierasio, the cost of Uber and similar services was OK because he views it as being safer and more reliable than the T. “There’s the risk of something happening on the T,” he explained.

Quierasio said his colleagues at the Burren generally do not use the MBTA to come to work late at night. “Some people carpool, some people ride bikes,” he said, saying some travel from as far away as Dorchester. In any case, he said, 2 a.m. is not late enough for bar workers to take advantage of the service. “2 a.m. is not that late, especially since bars close at 2,” he said, explaining that many would not leave work until 3 a.m.

The scene at a nearly empty Davis Sq. T station last Friday night. — Photo by Josie Grove

Down Elm Street from the Burren, Greg Torrisi said he has used the late night T service, but did not frequent it. Debbie Jelenkiewicnz said has never taken the later trains, since she is simply never out late enough to need the train past midnight.

Tufts University student Ben Corey only occasionally used the late night T service, but said, “It has definitely saved my butt before.” Corey was one of about twenty Tufts students waiting for the university’s shuttle bus from Davis, rather than take one of the two MBTA buses that go to the university campus.

“It’s ending?” said Michael Ventric, surprised to hear that trains and buses would not run long after midnight. “I hated that when I first moved here!” The Long Island transplant used the late-night service frequently. “I usually take the T instead of Uber,” he said, referring to the on-demand car service. “With Uber, you never know, with surge pricing,” said Angela Bennett. Uber’s fares multiply when cars are in demand, and can considerably increase the cost of a ride.

Keyla and Nathan Crevier recently moved from Louisiana, and say that while they rarely use the late night train service, they appreciated the option. “We think it sucks!” said Nathan Crevier of the end of late night service. Keyla Crevier added, “You have to plan accordingly now.” For the couple, this means arranging to be home shortly after midnight, rather than staying out.

Davis Square was almost completely deserted on Friday, and darkened windows of the recently-shuttered Johnny D’s restaurant made the area seem even more forlorn. Even though the trains would run for two more hours, the subway station was nearly empty around midnight. It was difficult to imagine who would fill the subway cars at 2 a.m.