The MTA proposed an increase to the subway and bus fare to $2.90 by Labor Day.
It is a 15-cent increase from the current $2.75 base fare, and the first fare hike since 2019.
"A lot of the stations are still dirty," rider John Delaruz said. "They are not in commission as often. I don't see the benefit in raising the price right now."
Weekly MetroCards would increase a dollar to $34 and 30-day MetroCards would go up $5 to $132.
Express bus fare would increase a quarter to $7 and seven-day bus passes would increase $2 to $64.
This year's planned fare hike will be closer to the standard 4% increase, which is typically how much the fare goes up every other year, instead of 5.5% originally floated, thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul's budget.
However, a planned 5.5% toll revenue increase remains in place.
Straphangers were less than pleased with the proposed hike.
Even Executive Director of the MTA's Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee Lisa Daglian acknowledged that fare hikes are necessary to keep the transit system rolling.
"Improving the discount options for riders across the system, ensuring there is equity across increases so that those who can least afford them have access to more options is critical," Daglian said. "That includes raising eligibility to fair fares to 200% of the federal poverty level from the current 100% level."
The last fare increase on trains and buses was in 2019. There was not a fare increase in 2021 due to the pandemic.
In addition to buses and subways, fares on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North would also go up by about 4%.
The MTA also anticipates that with congestion pricing, more commuters will want to take the subway and commuter rail.
Officials unveiled two possible scenarios for drivers. One rewards E-Z Pass users with a 6% increase, vs a 10% increase for tolls by mail. The other spreads the pain, with a 7% increase for both E-Z Pass and toll by-mail users.
8 comments:
Is this Joe Biden's fault too? I'm sure some QAnon creep will manage to blame it on Biden.
This is just fucking genius, ridership is down so what do the buttheads at MTA do? Make it more expensive and costly to those who need it most.
It's about what we should have expected from bureaucrats with their heads stuck up their asses.
Only idiot Sheeple pay tolls or bus/train fares !
Just hide your car plate or jump the turnstyle like I see happening everyday.
The MTA is losing billions of $$$ with our Woke Criminal Justice System.
These fare hikes are to cover for fare evaders. The cost of progressive Dem0rAt electurds
Biden's America !
Americans are feeling the pain at the pump and at the grocery store. Inflation is at a 50-year record high. Yet, President Joe Biden and his administration say that the economy is better than ever. Do you agree ?
Stop the Fare Beating !
We need to be cutting spending and taxes and the Democrats want to do the exact opposite.
So you've got people who can get "Free" MTA cards, rental assistance, food stamps, free healthcare, $300 a week per child benefits, unemployment benefits, all of these things. And they add up to, and by the way, this is all tax free, without working an hour, you can make 70, $75,000 a year.
Another tax cut for the super rich and a corporate bailout should fix all that.
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