Survey: Unlimited MetroCards Wasted on Many Straphangers

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A tipster sent Streetsblog and Second Avenue Sagas a file showing the results of an MTA demographics survey. The information is usually kept secret so the MTA can focus on policy-making without any interference from the meddlesome public, but what these blogs received suggests the Authority wasn't lying when they said the Unlimited MetroCard could be eliminated without affecting many commuters.

Take the monthly Unlimited MetroCard—25 percent of 30-day buyers don’t reach the break-even point, which right now is 40 rides (assuming you're paying full price for a single ride every time, and not getting the bonus). And 35 percent of those using the seven-day Unlimited card don't reach the break-even point, which is currently 12 rides. The survey also shows that commuters who buy Unlimited cards earn significantly more than those who don't, which isn't really any surprise. Second Avenue Sagas wonders if the MTA should "better educate riders as to the break-even point of its MetroCard offerings?"

But maybe upper crust straphangers just want the satisfaction of knowing they have unlimited access to the transit system, whether they use it or not, like when posh people order big bottles of champagne and spray each other with it during a $75,000 brunch. Same principle.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 21, 2010 3:12 PM

Comments [rss]

fuboy

Wow. This is kind of amazing only because Gothamist considers 1/4 of sales to be 'Many'. If you've got 50 cents, do you have many, many money?

So, John, what's the word you would use for 3/4? A metric buttload?

I kid. I mean, if you actually used how many riders that 1/4 equals, it probably would be 'many'. But you'd still fail because 3x the amount of 'many' people break even or use it more.

Now stop giving the MTA excuses and the wiggle-room to make my life more of a hell.

aria

I'm definitely in the 25% that uses it at a minimum of 3 days a week and am in the lower pay bracket where it truly effects me. It's just like government, everybody in the middle (not poor but not rich) always gets screwed. It's the people that are just getting by that this could plummet them into poverty. I need my monthly unlimited and i know im not the only one.

Ed

Well my job is being eliminated, so no more unlimited Metrocards for me for awhile after that happens.

If you have a card and you commute the card makes sense, since you get to over forty rides a month just going to work and returning. Otherwise it doesn't.

Såkandulæredet

With the bonus, the average ride is $1.96. ($2.25/1.15) Almost everyone tried to get the bonus unless you are getting single rides or less than $8 each time. That means to break even it isn't 40 rides you need, it's 46.

It's silly to do this math without including the bonus.

Såkandulæredet

I mean *tries* not *tried*.

BotanistPrime

"the Unlimited MetroCard could be eliminated without affecting many commuters. "

Except for the 75% of the people buying unlimited cards who break even

Sarah

I think the guy in the octopus hat must be boarding the MTA. Yea, that's it.

sluggo

OH...On closer inspection I see the octopus is made of metrocards. alrighty....

sluggo

Why is there is picture of someone in an octopus hat with this story?

chuzzlewit

lol - i think it involves a stapler!

EastRiver

How much does the system currently lose to guys selling swipes for a dollar?

Jboy

Why would they WANT to eliminate the unlimited cards if this is the case? Shouldn't we allow wealthier people voluntarily pay more to subsidize the system?

jaycjay

"But maybe upper crust straphangers just want the satisfaction of knowing they have unlimited access to the transit system,"

Personally, while there may be months in which I don't really come out ahead using it, I like the convenience of it. Not having to worry about how much money is left on my card, and not giving a thought to jumping on a bus for a quick, short ride ("maybe I should just walk, is this worth $2.25?"), or thinking about whether a complicated trip with a number of transfers is going to cost an extra swipe.

And the fact that, assuming a credit/debit card purchase you don't lose money if you lose the card. Really I wouldn't have minded the proposed cap at all; it certainly wouldn't have affected me.

madjoy

That's basically why I get the Unlimited Metro Cards, too. I probably don't break even since I don't need it to commute to my office, but I can afford it and it improves my quality of life significantly. When I had the pay-per-ride MetroCard, every time I thought about going out to dinner with my friends downtown I'd mentally add the $2.25 each way and feel extra guilty. It's not rational, but there you go.

jaycjay

It's only 25% of the unlimited card buyers who are under the break-even point. So assuming usage wouldn't change (logic, of course, suggests that it would), putting a cap on usage would bring in more money overall from the other 75%.