TTC service on New Year's will be free after midnight and subways and most surface routes will be running until 4 a.m., new chair Karen Stintz announced today. Normally the TTC would secure a sponsor to cover the costs of offering extended and free service, but that's not the case this year.

"I am pleased to announce that the TTC will, once again, offer free service after midnight on January 1. While the TTC has traditionally sought sponsorship to cover the costs of this free service, I believe our public transit system can, and should, do its part to help curb impaired driving, while also demonstrating to our riders the TTC's very real commitment to improved customer service - this is one such measure," said Stintz in a press release.

They're certainly not mutually exclusive -- sponsorship and the desire to curb impaired driving -- so one wonders if the interest level on the part of businesses wasn't what is was in year's past.

Here are the details on TTC service on New Year's Eve and Day:

• Reduced morning peak period service on Dec. 31
• Reduced afternoon peak-period service, operating from noon to 5 p.m. on Dec. 31
• Subway and most surface route service extended until approximately 4 a.m., Sat., Jan.1
• Last trains on the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway leave Union Station at 3:30 a.m. for
Finch Station and 3:34 a.m. for Downsview Station.
• Last trains on the Bloor-Danforth Subway leave Bloor-Yonge Station at 3:37 a.m. for Kipling Station and at 3:37 a.m. for Kennedy Station.
• Last train on the Scarborough RT leaves Kennedy Station at 4:05 a.m. for McCowan Station.
• Last train on the Sheppard Subway leaves Sheppard-Yonge Station at 3:58 a.m. for Don Mills Station.
• On Sat., Jan. 1, 2011, the TTC will operate on a Sunday service schedule. Subway and most surface routes will begin operating at 9 a.m.