Which transit fare increase seems fairest

The transportation authority also initiated a series of biennial fare and toll increases, a change from the sporadic fare and toll hikes of the past.

Each of the two rounds of fare and toll increases to date has generated a combined 7. Given that the continued fiscal challenges faced by the agency will likely result in future increases in fares, the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign has asked IBO to estimate how much base and discount fares would grow over the next 10 years under the current pattern and to compare the increases that result with projections for fare increases that mirror the expected local rate of inflation over the same period.

Ridership typically declines, at least temporarily, following a fare increase, which means fares have to increase by more than 7. For the March increase, the MTA projected that an 8.

IBO has assumed that this relationship remains constant over the next decade and that the annual inflation rate will average 2. Among our findings:. The introduction of the MetroCard and free transfers and discount passes reduced the average fare paid by riders so much that after accounting for inflation, the typical amount paid per trip is 18 percent lower now than in , when the average fare was at its peak.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA faces major fiscal challenges as it seeks to maintain a high level of public transportation service in the context of rising operating expenses and continuing capital needs. The MTA relies more heavily on fare revenue from riders than many other transit system operators.

Using data from the Federal Transit Administration, IBO estimated that the overall farebox recovery ratio—passenger fare revenue divided by operating expenses—was 58 percent for New York City subway and buses, compared with ratios of 44 percent, 38 percent, and 36 percent for local transit in Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia, respectively.

In recent years, budgetary pressures have led the MTA to seek more frequent fare increases. IBO then compared those results with the projected rate of inflation over the same period. Base Fare. Base Fare With Discount. Senate Democrats said that these tolls were unfair to drivers, while ignoring the even more unfair nature of forcing the poor to pay more for their subway rides.

In truth, the tolls are perfectly justified, despite claims to the contrary—they will not hurt business, make the city less accessible, or increase traffic. The much-maligned Governor Paterson actually supports the bailout plan, but he approved the doomsday scenario after finding no other recourse. The only ones at fault here are those who should be fully funding the MTA and are not. Cancel reply. Each time you swipe your card, you will be only charged half the current price for a single fare.

The card will not work after the expiration date. You can use your card until it expires. If you have an active Fair Fares case, you can get assistance with a Fair Fares card that is expiring or has expired. The City intends to use the data collected from this survey to generally add and improve City services. Survey participation is voluntary. Participants in this survey will not receive further communication from the City with regards to this survey.

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About Reduced-Fare MetroCards Reduced fares are available for riders who are 65 or older or riders who have qualifying disabilities. About reduced fares The reduced fare is half the base fare.

With this card, you can enter and exit the system using the AutoGate. We have resumed processing MetroCard claims, following a pause in processing because of the pandemic. See how to get help with MetroCard problems. Refill it the way you normally would. When you get your card back, you can swipe it as usual and the reduced fare will be automatically applied. Automatically, with EasyPay Sign up to have your reduced-fare card refilled automatically. See how to get help with EasyPay.