November 21, 2007
Though Base Fare Will Remain $2, Unlimited Subway & Bus Fares Likely to Rise
Governor Eliot Spitzer announced that he would ask the MTA to keep the base subway and bus fare at $2 yesterday morning, earning praise from elected officials and Mike Lupica, but it's hard for riders to truly weigh in, as the cost of unlimited Metrocards will probably be going up.
About 85% of riders use the unlimited cards, and the director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, Bill Henderson, told the Post the average fare people pay is actually $1.29: "People think the fare is $2 and don't even realize they are getting a discount. It shouldn't be, but it is easier to take away something people don't even realize they have than to impose an increase on the nominal fare."
The MTA will release details about the revised fare plan in the next two weeks. We bet once those numbers come out, people will be comparing the value of getting regular fare cards ($20 for 12 rides, avg. cost of $1.67) versus however many rides they use on an unlimited Metrocard.
The Daily News pats itself on the back for its "Halt the Hike" coverage (which has been very good, especially noticing that MTA board members were ditching the public meetings about the fare hike) and speaks with politicians who are happy the base fare hike was in fact halted but only consider it a "first step."
The Post thinks that Spitzer had no choice but pander to public sentiment and stop the base fare hike because he's been hurting in the polls. Spitzer did say in March he wanted to avoid a fare hike. And Second Avenue Sagas explains why a fare hike is actually a good thing.
|
85% of riders buy unlimited cards, so keeping the base fare the same but raising the unlimited fare is "halting the hike"? I call double-speak!
The average fare people pay is $129? Holy smokes isn't that a bit expensive? I'm glad I live in Manhattan so I can walk to where I want to go.
This helps the tourists and people with cars who occasionally take the subway. Us regular riders are subsidizing the rest.
This helps the tourists and people with cars who occasionally take the subway. Us regular riders are subsidizing the rest.
The base fare is what people actually know, since it has been a political issue ever since 1904 when it was 5 cents. This way, most people get screwed while Spitzer looks like he is a hero by keeping the fare $2 while giving people a disincentive to take public transit more often by raising the cost to those who use it most. A small increase to the base fare, say 5 or 10 cents and a dollar increase in the cost of unlimited MetroCards would provide additional money and would be less of a financial hit on all of the riders.
If you increased the cost of a ride to say $2.05 or $2.10, how are all those fare booth clerks going to be able to keep up with all the complications of making change?
Say if I gave them $2.25 and the fare was $2.10. That would stop them dead in their tracks trying to figure out how much they should give back in change, as they listen to their favorite rap station.
People still pay for that shit with cash?
[1] is right about the doublespeak.
what about LIRR and Metro North? are the fares staying the same or going up?
I hear the Paris Metro might be raising their fares also.
One of the reasons for the condition of the subway today is that the fare *wasn't* increased and stayed the same for so many years. This is despite inflation, or increased costs. In 1904 the fare was 5 cents and that lasted until 1948!!!!! It was 5 cents that entire time.
To compare... 5 cents in 1904 was worth $1.08 in today's money
but in 1948 5 cents was worth $0.44 in todays money.
Can you see the problem there? It's like 44 years go by and they decrease the fare by more than half.
Ando,
Do you also realize that the subway system was expanding exponentially during that same time? How can a system grow and get more effective at the same time decreasing their base fare in real dollars? Productivity, and lack of assholes in the system from the guy sweeping the platform to the chairman of the board, that's how. Can you tell me how else it could have been done?
Ford managed to lower the price of the model T over its lifetime and still paid his employees wages beyond the norm. Why? Because they were productive individuals working with a system that kept up with the times.