MTA Reveals Plans For The 2013 Fare Hike
The Metropolitan Transit Authority released a proposal outlining options pertaining to the fare hike that is due to take effect in March of 2013. The MTA is looking at combinations of hikes for the single ride cost, weekly cards, monthly cards and so on.
The proposal for fare increases is meant to generate an extra $277 million.
“Costs that the MTA does not exercise control over, namely those for debt service, pensions, energy, paratransit, and employee and retiree health care, continue to increase beyond the rate of inflation,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph Lhota in a release. “We are grappling with long-term measures to reduce these frustrating and difficult non-discretionary expenses, but today, they are the drivers of the need for a fare and toll increase.”
The first proposal, which the MTA labeled Proposal 1A, states that the regular subway and bus fare would increase to $2.50 from $2.25 while the weekly card would increase to $30 from $29 and the unlimited would be $112 instead of $104.
The second option, or 1B, would increase the base fare to $2.50, the bonus for riders who put $10 on their cards would be eliminated, the 30-day card would cost $109 and the weekly card would remain the same price.
With the third proposal, known as 2A, the base fare stays at $2.25, the bonus fare sees a five percent deduction, the seven day jumps to $34 and the monthly card jumps to a soaring $125.
The fourth choice, 2B, keeps the base fare the same as well, takes away the bonus amount riders receive when they put $10 on their cards, 30-days rise to $119 and weekly cards to $119.
Further, the MTA will tack on a $1 fee for new cards in an effort to encourage the recycling of used cards by riders.
The proposal announcement made by the MTA is in conjunction with several public hearings that will take place all over the city. The public hearing scheduled for Brooklyn is set for November 7 at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge at 333 Adams Street, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The MTA board expects to vote on the proposal hike on December 19.
“Here they go again,” wrote Senator Marty Golden in a statement following the announcement. “In the environment of a struggling economy, when many New Yorkers are out of work, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is wrongfully looking to dig deeper into the pockets of straphangers and motorists. I adamantly oppose attempts to increase the cost of MetroCards, the express bus fare and the base toll for the Verrazano Bridge at this time. This is unacceptable – we are already asked to pay too much.”
The Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North and MTA bridges, like the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the Marine Parkway‐Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, would also see increases in tolls and tickets.
“The MTA’s recently announced toll and fare increases are nothing short of outrageous. With over $17 billion committed to the Second Avenue subway tunnel and $8.4 billion to connect the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal, it is clear that Manhattan gets the infrastructure and improvements, while the people of Bay Ridge get the bill. It’s evident that these megaprojects cannot be afforded,” said Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis in a release. “Bay Ridge residents rely on the Verrazano Bridge and MTA transportation services to commute to work and visit relatives. The MTA must stop looking at us as a bank account to cover its losses.”