MTA May Cut Fun Pass, Raise Monthly Metrocard $10-15

Regardless of how much the MTA keeps raising fares, it will never fully solve the budget problem – the MTA has been fighting their deficit for years and in today’s economy, the problem has only gotten worse. Commuters are definitely starting to move towards biking and electric bikes, but I agree with many of the comments above regarding storage. Unfortunately very few buildings, streets and parks in NYC have bike racks or anywhere you can safely tie your bike to, but hopefully with the increase bike commuters, this will change, in the interim, looks like we’re tying our bike locks to poles/street signs.

Again, congestion pricing would solve this problem once and for all. Look at the transportation system as a whole -- cars carry a vocal minority who exert a disproportionate impact on the rest of us.

Again, congestion pricing would solve this problem once and for all.

No, it wouldn't. It would overcrowd already crowded subway lines.

Once again more money for the MTA is not the answer. They are a very inefficient wasteful government agency. Does anyone actually think ALL of the $$ from congestion pricing will go straight to the MTA or more to the pockets of polticans and earmarks?

The MTA problems are much more deeper.

While it is correct that the MTA has been wasteful, the largest single long term financial issue they face is their massive debt load (and concurrent interest payments) and that debt load exists because the capital program of the MTA has been severely neglected and underfunded for decades, and that IS a funding issue. In this state (and in the country in general) transportation funds are not fairly distributed, with low density areas getting more money than high density areas in transportation funds.

The City should introduce congestion pricing (and not only for Manhattan) and use the money to better fund the MTA capital program, including the upgrading and improvement of bus service to the outer boroughs.

Schoolkids shouldn't have to pay for their Metrocards - it's just ridiculous to propose slashing that program. Transportation to and from public school is necessary and if the city can't provide bussing, they have to provide free Metrocards. What should be slashed is free health insurance for MTA employees. Everyone else has to kick in for their health insurance, why should MTA employees get it for free? And the retirement age of MTA employees should be changed to be more in line with the norm. Why should they get to retire at 55 when most of us will have to work till 67 or 72? MTA should start by trimming some of the fat from employee benefits (average MTA salary is $50K - for jobs that don't require anything but a HS diploma) before they consider raising fares. Of course the union would rather pass on the cost to New Yorkers than eliminate these cushy MTA benefits.

instead of talkin or complainin about it...i say that we should just plan something such as a boycott ..because i refuse to spend mpre for less service..i barely can afford the fare now...as always they dont really care about riders so they will do anything bcuz they knw we depend on it...sooo i say we should start a boycott if this proposal go thru

i agree ..i say we all walk or bike it to work or wherever the destination.

Just cut all discounts and unlimited passes.

It just increases maintenance costs while decreasing revenue.

Why is there a discount anyway? You are going to ride the train one way or another.

Oh, and get rid of the useless 'improvement projects' like countdown clocks and the 2nd Ave subway. Stop expanding, and start maintaining.

Oh, and get rid of the useless 'improvement projects' like countdown clocks and the 2nd Ave subway.

The 2nd Ave Subway is only useless if you don't ride the 4/5 in the morning. For those of us who do, it's a known necessity.

As for the countdown clocks, I think they should be outside the station, but they're far from useless.

As easy as it is to mock tourists, they are important to our city's economy. They need the Fun Pass and we need to compete with other cities for their business.

While I have no way of proving this, I really doubt people choose New York over other cities just because we have a 'fun pass'.

If saving $10/day is so important to any tourists, then they probably can't afford NYC to begin with.

Its not just the money, its the convenience of getting around an unfamiliar place without restrictions. I've been to many other cities where an unlimited pass makes exploring a worthwhile adventure.

As easy as it is to mock tourists, they are important to our city's economy. They need the Fun Pass and we need to compete with other cities for their business.

The Second Ave line isn't useless. It's going to relieve the over-congested Lexington line, which carries more people per day than some entire subway systems in other cities. Why do you think it's been on the proposal list for over two generations?

The pay per ride discount is virtually gone. From 20% to 7%...

Did Gothamist forget Metro-North is part of the MTA?

Instead of raising the price of MTA cards, why not just stop giving out free MTA cards to kids and charge everyone?

*reasonably* raise the cost of unlimited metrocards (but no limits! that makes no sense!)

higher/more tolls for automobile drivers polluting our city (i occasionally drive!)

streamline MTA management to reduce costs

improve bike safety in NYC to encourage biking (i'm terrified of it!)

Unlimited or bust, MTA.

I agree that those who use the cabs should pay way more for the "luxury" of using a car to get to their destinations.

But I don't agree with increasing the fares and removing/cutting back on services AND filthy conditions of stations.

At the same time people are frustrated because this all looks like the MTA is raping our wallets to fix their mistakes. The more I read about these stories and see what this city is turning into, I hesitate to say "I love NY". Because NY doesn't love me or you. NY loves our $. that's it.

And doucheberg is slowly turning this city into a haven for the rich. He's basically saying "Fuck you" to everyone who can't afford his bullshit.

ok im done.

If they eliminate the fun pass to get people to stop selling swipes, wouldn't the scammers just buy monthlies and use those?

No one agrees with this. But we have to pay more. There's a budget gap, and it's just not practical to get mad and refuse to pay more.

If I lived in a suburban area, I'd probably pay $500/month for a car. $104 for all of my transit is a bargain, especially since I get my pass with pre-tax dollars through my employer.

We can't continue to let them chop lines off of the system. It's becoming hellish to ride the thing, too. We have to keep it usable and useful. If we don't, our quality of life will go down the tubes.

And we need to keep the outer boroughs stitched into the fabric of the city -- we can't create a situation where people don't leave their borough on weekends, because transit service sucks so hard.

They need to figure out a way to protect people who are really hard up. They shouldn't be talking about taking away passes for school kids, for example. There are plenty of people who should get assistance.

But people who have jobs, who go out to eat, who ride a cab when waiting for the train or bus would be a drag -- those folks should cough up the extra $20/month and shut up about it.

This is such an expensive city, the sums involved are really not that large, and ruining the system makes all of our lives miserable.

We need to cough up the dough and just deal with it.

It's hard to comparing owning a car in the suburb vs taking public transportation in the city. Having a car means freedom and having your own schedule. Be able to visit other states or taking trips.

Insurance rates are cheaper in suburbs, no parking meter fees, less tickets, more highway miles which is better for a car.

Exactly, the train doesn't always run... and for times like those I always take a cab.

That goes for large grocery shopping, shopping for the apt, and late nights. Not to

mention carrying equipment for work.

And what about traveling out of the area by train? All together it probably adds up.

CONGESTION PRICING TO COVER THE BUDGET GAP.

In a city of 8 million people, personal vehicles are an outrageous luxury, and the use thereof should subsidize the people who are being more socially and environmentally responsible.

THANK YOU. YES.

Charge by distance, I dont see why I should pay the same fare to go 1 stop as someone commuting 15+ stops in

How is that fair? I commute every day from Queens, at the very end of the E line, because I don't make enough money to live in the city. But I should be charged even more every month because I don't have the luxury of working close to home?

why don't you walk then?

Because in NYC that's regressive pricing. The core workforce has to commute to Manhattan where the rich people live.

Because in NYC that's regressive pricing. The core workforce has to commute to Manhattan where the rich people live.

So are cigarette, soda, and sales tax. Zoned fares work in nearly every other city that has a subway system. Living on the outskirts of the city means you're paying way less for pretty much everything. You can pay a little more for the convenience of transit.

Oh man seeing reasonable people on Gothamist makes me inappropriately excited. Look ma! Somebody is making sense!

speaking of mta, wtf was up with the L today? sat on the l train for 45 minutes and didn't move

ride a bike

I rode a bike last summer about 15 miles each way between Manhattan and Bayside. I enjoyed it, but my biggest problems with bike commuting is safe storage.

I don't want to be forced to carry around a 10-pound Kryptonite lock everywhere I go and American culture doesn't give a shit about other people's property. If bikes were more like cars, where they could somehow be safely "parked" and bike theft were treated seriously, that'd be great. Sure, you could just buy $50 junker bikes, but I don't want to ride those, they suck, and my $500 bike is a theft target then.

Have fun in the blizzard and baking heat while dodging taxis and muggers, i'll be relaxing in the subway car.

My bike commute was quicker and was great exercise. I think you'd be more likely to be mugged on the train or platform as a stationary target rather than on a moving bike.

"Have fun in the blizzard and baking heat while dodging taxis and muggers, i'll be relaxing in the subway car."

---

Have fun taking three extra trains and a shuttle on the weekends due to disrupted service, dealing with beggars, getting food spilled on you by disgusting noshers, having to deal with sermons from screechy born again Christians, mentally practicing how to escape a subway car in the event that a dispute breaks out between two knife-wielding thugs, and being the victim of the inevitable subway terrorist bombing.

This fiendish plot is obviously the work of Critical Mass, which wants citizens to abandon Mass Transit for bicycles.