[URBAN NOTE] "Free rides, later service, New Year's Eve, December 31"

[rfmcdonald]

Transit Toronto reports about New Year's Eve public transit options. Full and detailed schedules are provided.

You may never get that free lunch that you’ve been waiting for, but you can ride your favourite train, subway, bus or streetcar free of fare New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day. Many Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton and Golden Horseshoe transit agencies are offering passengers free rides and later service to help everyone get home safely after celebrating the start of 2015.

Most local transit agencies absorb the cost of the free rides in their budgets. However, a major distillery is sponsoring free TTC service until about 4 a.m.— in 2010, the TTC estimated this cost at about $85,000. In Durham Region, two major employers are paying the bills to offer residents free and later DRT service. In Guelph, the downtown business association is footing the bill for free and later Guelph Transit service, while down in St. Catharines, the union representing area paramedics and other emergency medical service personnel and several businesses are grabbing the cheque for the free and later rides.

Ride safely, guys.