Right in the Short Run

Most people who live in New York love the fact that subways run 24/7. Although it might take a long time, it is possible to get to every single subway stop in New York city at any time of day, any day of the year.

It always seemed to me that the big winners from this service were the poor. Certainly anyone who would like to work flexible shifts without owning a car — and it seems reasonable to me that many people in this boat are relatively poor — benefits greatly. Without late night subway service, a lucrative overtime shift could entail a cab ride back home, which could easily eat up most of the benefit of the shift itself.

Looking at it from another direction, 24/7 subway service means that it is feasible to work strange shifts without owning a car. Everyone benefits from that, but the poorest, for whom the car purchase means the most sacrifice, benefit the most.

Lastly, the guarantee of being able to pay $2 for a ride means that people can work strange hours far from home. It is not hard to imagine that the poor stand to gain from having a wider array of jobs open to them, particularly if the neighborhoods they live in are less hospitable at night or tend to offer lower wages.