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MTA Fare Hike 2010: 3rd Hike in 3 Years
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by Amy Judd | October 7, 2010 at 09:35 am
3894 views | 10 Recommendations | 9 comments
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Approved Another Fare Hike on Thursday Morning
The MTA board voted 12 to 2 to approve a package of fare increases for the subway, bus system and commuter railroads according to the New York Times.
So what does this mean for NYC commuters?
The unlimited 7-day and 30-day MetroCards will remain unlimited, but now you will have to pay more for the unlimited rides. Starting December 30, the 30-day unlimited card will cost $104 (previously $89), and an unlimited 7-day pass will cost $29 (previously $27). Single rides will now cost $2.50, up from $2.25.
Transit officials said raising the cost for the most frequent riders was fair as they said those riders tend to be among the wealthiest.
But some board member at Thursday’s meeting objected. “This fare plan hits our best customers with the heftiest fare hike,” Andrew Albert, a nonvoting board member and chairman of the New York City Transit Riders Council, said shortly before the vote. “We should be rewarding our best customers.”
Tickets for the Metro-North and Long Island Railway will rise between 7 and 14 percent, and a $1 surcharge will be levied on those who buy a new MetroCard and do not just refill their old card.
Norman I. Seabrook and Patrick J. Foye were the two board members who voted against the increases.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (9)
at 09:44 on October 7th, 2010
MTA officials once again demonstrating ignorance, which they seem to do at every opportunity.
Monthly passholders are not "wealthier" than other commuters. Monthly passes are less expensive than weekly passes, and have a refund policy if lost or stolen.
The riders who are more likely to have disposable income would be tourists, i.e. those purchasing 1-day "fun passes"... oh, yeah, the same passes that the board voted to eliminate.
at 10:26 on October 7th, 2010
I use the Metro North and the New York City bus to and from work everyday. And if the will be hiking the fare up between 7-14% I do not know what I will do. I do not think I will have to pay a dollar surcharge for a new card every month. The monthly ticket is color code every month so that is not my fault to pay a dollar extra for my ticket.
at 13:12 on October 7th, 2010
This fare hike is absolutely absurd. We should be raising rates for tourists and helping out the working class who commute to or around Manhattan every day for work, sometimes more than 5 days a week.The wealthy aren't buying unlimited metro cards. They're paying their drivers to take them places.
at 18:19 on October 7th, 2010
It's the same story....if you don't cut pensions/benefits you will always need to raise rates! No politician dare go against the union becuase we don't vote in strength. Unions will bleed us dry until the city goes bankrupt. No way out of this...its just a waiting game.
at 09:22 on October 12th, 2010
If I have to pay $1.00 extra for a new card, I will no longer take the MTA. I will walk to and from Penn Station to 50th Street where my job is located. And I am sure many more will follow. Enough already, this is ridiculous.
at 13:48 on November 12th, 2010
We need to organize a weekly 'gate hop' - every Friday at 5pm-6pm everyone taking the subway hops the gate. The MTA would still make an extra $5 on NY commuters, but we need to show them not to f*ck with us.I agree with Veronica - Enough already!
at 11:29 on November 30th, 2010
Not only is MTA service a joke, the amount of money they waste is simply disgusting. The fare hikes are 'needed' to cover a budget deficit of about 500 million...interesting that in 2009 overtime for union workers in the MTA exceeded 400 million...2009 ALONE OT was 400 million?! This includes GUARANTEED OT for most MTA union employees - even when they are on VACATION. If a company is being run remotely correctly than there should be minimal overtime...there are employees at the MTA that made almost TRIPLE their annual salary due to OT... The MTA is taking advantage of everyone - NY residents, daily commuters and tourists... Another example of this - the MTA knows that there are certain subway stops where there are many people jumping the turnstiles - often due to there being no human ticket vendor and the ticket machines being broken by people trying to sell illegal metrocards. The MTAs solution - post undercover police to give tickets to riders who are unable to get tickets...not to stop the machines from being broken...HOW IS THIS A SOLUTION?! I myself have complained to the MTA about service and written to NY House of Representatives and Congress members about the problems in the MTA and I encourage EVERYONE to do the same. Maybe nothing will happen - but nothing is guaranteed to happen if we do not act.
at 16:21 on December 28th, 2010
I think we need to stand up and do something about this the MTA is getting away with murder. A monopoly is not suppose to exist in this country or that was the plan. I agree writing letters will shine some light on the issue, but I myself feel the issue is well known. But we as NYers have gotten lazy and don't fight for our rights therefore the MTA does as it pleases knowing we will get up in the morning and ride their lousy trains and buses. We should boycott the MTA for a month or so, I feel thats the only action worthy of taking.
at 13:59 on December 29th, 2010
We do need to do something. For some reason, New Yorkers as a whole do not support boycott efforts. Too self-important to be inconvenienced? Who knows. Here's a thought: if you have an unlimited monthly metro-card, why not give away a "free" swipe to someone who is about to buy a card? You can do this as you exit a station, spending no more than twenty seconds of your valuable time. Maybe the MTA will lose money? Scared of getting caught? By whom? They laid off the station attendants, remember? A boycott would be the only effective way of getting through to the MTA. Since NYers will not unite to make this happen, let's try to minimize the revenue coming in. I'll give anyone a free swipe as I exit the station @ 50th and 8th Ave, M-F, 5:45 pm.