MTA Committee Proposes Big Subway Fare Hike

Courtesy Unlisted Sighting's Flickr.

A ride on the subway is fast becoming a luxury item: Today the MTA Finance Committee voted to approve a package of steep fare hikes that would increase the cost of a single subway or bus ride from $2 to $2.50. In addition to the base fare increase, the cost of a 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCard would go up to $103 (from $81), while a weekly unlimited-ride MetroCard would increase $6 to $31. The full MTA board will vote on the fare increases Wednesday, and the changes will likely go into effect in June unless legislators in Albany can come to terms on a bailout package for the MTA.

One alternative plan being batted around Albany would feature a smaller, 8 percent fare increase, tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges, and a payroll tax on businesses in counties served by the MTA. Testifying before the committee, Gene Russianoff at the Straphangers Campaign called the fare hikes "ugly" and criticized the State Senate's bailout plan for "failing to address the transit system’s rebuilding needs."

Speaking to reporters this morning, Governor Paterson admitted that he's all but given up on reaching a bailout solution before the MTA's Wednesday deadline: "I don't think that the agency should delay any action. This is a deadline that they set and was known to all parties. I've been trying to reach an agreement for the past two weeks. I've talked to these leaders every day. . . and have also talked to the MTA board members who will be voting in a couple of days."

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By John Del Signore in News on March 23, 2009 4:41 PM

Comments [rss]

Steven

Good point, alice17. People in the city complain about their new $100 monthly or a $2.50 single ride. A monthly ticket from Yonkers to GCT will cost $200.

alice17

Everyone keeps complaining about the subway fare going up. What about all of us who ride the commuter trains, such as Metro North? My fare will go up $94, making my monthly ticket $428. Then add the $103 subway fare on top of that. Many of us will not be able to afford to come to work. What the hell are we supposed to do?

snappaloosa

Yeah, I saw the increases for LIRR and MetroNorth and they were insane!

longacre

Why don't they enact an annual or bi-annual increase that is somehow tied to inflation? If it were 2 or 3% a year it wouldn't be so bad, the political backlash would not be so great. These 20%+ increases at random increments are what really piss people off.

goodcow

Elliot Sander has stated that's exactly what he believes the fare hikes should be; annual and pegged to inflation. Unfortunately that doesn't make the $27B in debt magically disappear.

tigger2970

Now it's definitely cheaper to split a cab with friends than bothering with the subway, thanks MTA. I really wonder why I still live here.

asg749d

Great - Now it is cheaper for me to drive to the city than to take the subway.

Nicely done MTA...!

Steven

Well a car will always cost more than taking public transportation. Though at least a car you have reliable and the convenience of it especially during the weekends that more than makes up owning and maintaining a car.

NannyState

Since you're paying extra, bring your bike with you.

ANGRYGOD11

I watched a silly person on the local news point out the subway was always busy and yet the fares will go up. She doesn't understand, like most people, the fare doesn't cover the cost of the ride. At best the MTA covers less than 90% of the ride with fares and the rest has to come from somewhere else, no matter how well the system is run.

tmz is evil

Lovely. 50 cents more to stand in zero degree weather to wait 20- 30 minutes for the 3-4 buses that inevitably show up.

BTW, expect the number of fare beaters to rise exponentially. You thought people sneaking in through the back door of buses was bad now!

felixthecat2

I usually take trains and believe me NYPD really stands there for hours to catch fare beaters. fare beating is not really a feasible option. I might be willing to buy some metrocards in the black market? Any sellers?

EastRiver

I went to the new South Ferry station for the first time yesterday. I do not think the city got $500 million worth of improvement.

colonelcasey

Sure it's pricy but you try underpinning three active subway tunnels while digging through the architectural remains of the old Battery wall. It could have been done for less but not by much.

glennQNYC

Everything else is going up... Why not this?

kissel

The MTA should first feel some of the pain themselves before they come to us for ever increasing amounts of money. I hear no one there talking about across the board wage decrease, or getting rid of some of the labor rules that allow people to basically do close to nothing and get paid handsomely for it. The more we give, the more they take, and then come back to extort us again a year or so down the line. I for one hope they get no bailout because at some point the gravy train needs to end and they need to run the system efficiently.

ohhleary

That's not the MTA's fault, it's the union's fault. It's absolutely ridiculous that people get paid $50,000 a year to sit in a booth all day and do nothing, but the last time the MTA asked the union to make concessions, we ended up walking to work in the frigid December cold for three days.

RooseveltIsland360

Even at $103 / monthly fare card my cost per fare will be at about $1.51 far below the $2.50 base fare. I am not thrilled by this but at least I know I am still coming out ahead. But at the same time my cost per fare with a $81/montly card was $1.19.

If my family were to pay full fares we would incur an average cost of $170 each for my wife and I which would be insane.

http://rooseveltisland360.blogspot.com/2009/03/250-fare-card-170-break-even-monthly.html

bornbrednewyorker

Yay more great news. Does it ever end?

GaryK

all i can say, is that if the city/state is going to subsidize union labor, i would like them to give citizens better/safer biking options. it is getting too expensive to ride the subway. if somebody is making $10-$15 per hour riding the subway is a luxury.