Could be a sign that Spring is just around the corner. The recent moderating temperatures and subsequent thaw spells good news for Metro-North Railroad's ferry service between Haverstraw and Ossining. 

Due to the blizzard conditions, the MTA has announced that Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road will be operating on reduced schedules on Monday. Metro-North will be running on a regular Sunday schedule, while the Long Island Railroad will operate on a holiday schedule.

The MTA says its personnel are working hard to provide service today and into tomorrow morning's rush hour for those who must travel during this major winter storm. 

For minute-by-minute updates on service visit www.mta.info

Starting next Thursday, MTA-Metro-North Railroad fares are going up.

Most railroad tickets will increase between 7.6% and 9.4% depending on the ticket type and distance traveled. One-way, round-trip and ten-trip ticket increases take effect on December 30, while monthly and weekly ticket increases will take effect January 1.

The base fare for individual rides on New York City Transit’s buses, subways and Access-A-Ride vehicles remains at $2.25. For subway and bus trips only, the reduced fare for seniors and the disabled is $1.10.  However, the single-ride ticket, available in vending machines only, is now priced at $2.50 and must be used within two hours of purchase.

In addition to fares on Metro North and NYC buses and subways, tolls on the MTA's seven bridges and two tunnels will go up at 2 a.m. December 30. Tolls are rising to $6.50 at most crossings for cash customers and increasing to 23 cents to $4.80 at most crossings for E-ZPass customers.

Get ready to dig deeper to ride Metro North and New York City subways and buses. By the end of the year it will cost more to ride them after the MTA today voted in favor of yet another round of fare hikes.

That means a 25-cent increase to the base fare, hiking it now to $2.50. Monthly Metro North commutation tickets are going up as well, between 8 1/2 to 10 1/2 percent on each of the lines.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino Thursday announced a compromise plan that will save the County's BxM4C express bus to Manhattan.

Under terms of the deal, beginning June 28, buses will be run during peak hours only and limited non-peak service will continue on weekdays. Weekend service will be eliminated.

The fare would increase in September to about $8.50 from $5.50 and all discount fares would be ended.

Newly elected Westchester Assemblyman Robert Castelli (R,I,C Goldens Bridge) was joined by several Assembly colleagues Monday to once again call  on State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to conduct a forensic audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and for the results to be made public.

Shortly before the news conference, officials with DiNapoli's office notified Castelli that his office has been conducting such audits of the MTA over the past 12 months and has identified various areas of cost savings.

The Westchester Assemblyman called on DiNapoli to release the findings.

Said Castelli, "If the Comptroller's office has the ammunition needed to help solve some of the problems at the MTA, then he needs to share those with lawmakers and MTA Chairman Jay Walder." He adds, "Westchester County should not have been forced to pay the MTA payroll tax before a full audit was ever conducted."

Westchester County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz (D-Somers), who chairs the Board of Legislators' Government Operations, Efficiency & Savings Committee, Thursday sent a letter to NYS Senate President Malcolm Smith, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli calling on them to conduct an audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

 Kaplowitz cited a section of the legislation authorizing the so-called MTA Mobility Tax which permits the Senate President Pro Tem and speaker of the Assembly to conduct an independent audit of the MTA.