New York, NY – The cost of riding New York City’s subways, buses and commuter rails is going up again, the third fare increase in three years.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved fare hikes Thursday, following increases in 2008 and 2009, and ahead of another planned hike in 2013.
The fare increases by the nation’s largest transit agency are the latest attempt to close an $800 million budget gap. They would hit commuters across the region, from those riding city trains and buses to those taking the suburban commuter railroads.
“We clearly understand that riders are frustrated and we are sensitive to that,” MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said Wednesday. But MTA officials have said the agency needs to close budget gaps that the state government couldn’t plug.
The cost of the unlimited-ride monthly Metrocards is rising nearly 17 percent, the largest of the fare increases approved by the MTA.
The price of monthly unlimited Metrocards, currently $89, will rise by $15. Other fare classes also will increase, although not as steep. The $2.25 one-way subway and bus fare will stay the same except for single-ride tickets, which will increase to $2.50.
Iris Hernandez has some decisions to make because the increase is about to add $180 to the yearly commuting costs that she and her husband already pay.
“We’ll have to change, spend less at home or make some personal changes so we have the money, but he has to use it,” Hernandez, of West New York, N.J., said of the monthly subway and bus passes her husband buys to get to work.
Transit advocate Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said the multiple fare hikes coming so quickly after one another was unprecedented.
He said the agency had been hit by funding cuts from the state but that the MTA hadn’t done enough to try to get additional funding from the state and federal governments.
Russianoff also pointed out that the fare hike was being voted on just months after the MTA slashed service.
“It’s going to be a hardship,” he said.
Jenna Tarshis, who uses a monthly Metrocard to commute to her office job, was resigned to the increased costs for her daily subway rides.
“I understand they have to pay for things, and I don’t want my service to be decreased, but at the same time, it’s not a good time in the economy to be raising prices for people to get to and from work,” the 24-year-old Tarshis said.
“It’s not like I’m making a ton of money to be spending the extra,” she said. “And there’s nothing I can do, I’m not going to take a cab across town every day.”
the problem with monopolies, people!!!
Lately, I have been walking one way and riding back. I will just get a good pair of sneakers and walk more. It is healthy. I have not been on the subway in months and do not miss it!!
I don’t see what the big “tsimmis” is. If one drive a car, considering the purchase price of a car, the maintenance expense on the car, cost of gasolene, oil, auto insurance, license and registration fees, tolls on bridges and highways, parking fees, etc., it equals about 50 cents per mile. Therefore, if one takes the subway 10 miles from Brooklyn to Manhattan, it would cost $5.00, if one was driving a car. Therefore, what is the big deal to spend half of that amount or $2.50. New Yorkers are spoiled, because for decades, the subway and bus fares were subsidized. The days of cheap mass transit are over, folks. You should get used to it.
AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! eventually they will take every last penny from us!!!!!!!!!!
I think people should just leave NYC as well NYS especially the Jewish community – lets move down to South Carolina
Its time our elected officials stepped in. The MTA is run by a bunch of crooks and they think that they can just keep raising the fare. It will come to a point where its cheaper to take a cab!
Reply to #2 Butterfly:
What is the point of your comment? Do you think anyone has an interest in some anonymous poster’s missing or not missing riding the subway or walking to work?
Butterfly, fly away to some other website and stop wasting our time.
the fact is about ten years back the mta was in the black by millions.the fare since then has gone up at least three or four times and now the system is in the red for some mystical reason.bloomberg is a bum and he knows to well how to throw the numbers around.when will we get honest politicals.i for one will not hold my breath.
It may be hard to believe, but if you have a hybrid vehicle and work in an area where you don’t have to pay for tolls or parking, it may be cheaper to drive every day than take mass transit. For people who live in the 5T, and not all of us live in mansions by any means and work in lower Manhattan, the monthly transit bill is now over $300.
“bloomberg is a bum and he knows to well how to throw the numbers around.when will we get honest politicals.i for one will not hold my breath.”
Point in fact: The MTA is a state agency, not a city agency.
The Wolf
We need to let the MTA collapse. Only then will private industry step in and fix the problem. If this were a non-union private enterprise, we would only be paying $1 per ride.
To #7 Why wait 40 minutes now for a bus that normally runs every 10 or 15 minutes?? The service has gone from bad to worse and what we do get s—-s!! I rest my case. Why don’t you go away?? Why don’t you just learn to be polite on line?? I hope VIN posts this. Thank you.
If they want to close the budget gap – the simplest way is to stop spending!
The MTA currently completely overhauling or rebuilding many of the subway stations, buying new trains – that go slower (although smoother) than the old ones, and completely overspending on the new 2nd Ave. line, all the while, reducing the service, cutting bus & subway lines and increasing the fare. It is true that they have lost out on ridership over the past year due to many losing their jobs in the city, but hey, thats life.
As for privatizing the subway, as #11 said, I agree, it would be a better service and better run but it would no way cost $1 a ride on the subway! Maybe for a bus ride. If anything, the price would go up on the subway as $2.50 is very cheap compared to the cost of alternate means of transport (car) or compared to other subways in other major cities where the service is way better.
reply to #12 :
we wait because we have no choice. But we are all very happy that you walk to work, it makes a big difference to the rest of us. Unfortunately, most of us big boys have jobs in the city, and it’s way too far to walk.
Raising fares with lousier service, including cutting out express buses that frum Jews rely on.
thanks wolf for the enlightened observation.taint gone to help him.next time you’ll tell me that the city has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MTA FUNDS.i’m also looking to buy the brooklyn bridge.can you help me.very very weak retort wofie.