Will The MTA Raise The Fares This Year?

There's already talk that the MTA will raise fares by more than the expected 7.5 percent next year—but now transit experts say the cash-strapped agency might increase the cost of commuting before the end of 2010. With a budget shortfall that's only gotten worse in recent weeks, MTA chairman Jay Walder told the Times: "[I]t has been my intent to hold to that scheduled increase...I believe that having regularly scheduled increases is preferable to increasing fares and tolls in other circumstances, and we're trying very much to stay in that mode." But trying very much doesn't necessarily mean will, according to insiders. "He very consciously did not rule it out," warned one transit watchdog.

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By Ben Muessig in News on February 25, 2010 5:50 PM

Comments [rss]

HBHB

One of the reasons why I've stayed in NYC my entire life is because not needing a car balances out the already overly high cost of living. If the MTA raises the fare it would be cheaper to own a car and just live somewhere else.

Darrell

All I'm saying is that you reach a point where driving certain types of vehicles becomes cheaper than taking the subway, and then the motivation to travel via public transportation goes down. There has been a rise of motorcycle and scooter ownership in the city for a reason. Not to mention that everyone's salaries are either stagnent or dropping, so raise it too high and some people might be forced to leave the metropolitan area all together.

robindustry

Ride a bike!

Rocko

FUCK THE MTA!! FUCK LONDON!!.. Nowooski said they pay 150 pounds a month for transportation in london. Maybe that explains why everyone in ENGLAND has such horrible teeth! No pounds for dental... VERY SAD

nivek

Why are you still here? Are you trying to replace felixthecat as the most annoying person here?

inkhorn

Rocko's lashing out because they discontinued the Hummer. Pay him no mind.

whitecastlerock

Every week the budget shortfall gets worse...Clearly they can't afford to run the system and should cease transit operations immediately

Ethan

I hope my rent goes up, because i am not paying enough for that either.

Free Refills

They should just raise fares. New Yorkers pay far less for transportation than anyone else in America. $89/month is a steal. In London they pay over 150 pounds / month for a all-zone unlimited card. It is time to raise metro fares.

Darrell

Yeah, and London is also the most expensive city in the world. That's not something that we want to compete for.

inoyourider

Fuck the MTA and everyone who works for it.

Fuck their accountants for never being able to balance the books.

Reduced services and raised fares!

Nice work if you can get it!

Corlears Hook

Yeah staff accountants drove the MTA into this situation... How about you actually go after those who have spent the last 70 or so years driving NYCT into the ground, The City of New York, New York State, and Robert Moses. But keep repeating what those clowns in Albany try to tell you, its not their fault they continue to take away dedicated funding and replace it with fees/taxes and massive debt.