NEW YORK—Subway, bus, and rail fares will be increasing in March 2013—the question is by how much.
A 30-day unlimited metro card could cost as much as $125 in March next year, if one of four proposals officially unveiled on Monday is selected. The 30-day card currently costs $104.
Increases in single rides, 7-day passes, and the bonus value system are also included in the proposal.
“Our nondiscretionary costs are growing at such a rate that we have no choice but to raise our fares,” said Joseph Lhota, MTA chairman and CEO, at a press briefing on Monday.
Nondiscretionary spending—spending that the MTA says it can’t control, including pensions, paratransit, and paying off debt—is estimated to increase almost $5 billion through 2015.
The MTA runs the buses, subways, Metro-North, and Long Island Rail Road, and manages many of the bridges and tunnels in the New York Metropolitan region.
Fare Changes
Without more help from the state legislature and an improved regional economy, fare raises are needed to close remaining gaps, said Lhota.
The March 2013 raise must garner $450 million in recurring annual revenue, while the March 2015 raise must bring in another $500 million in recurring annual revenue. The MTA’s operating budget for 2012 is $12.5 billion.
Lhota said “it would be nice” if the 2015 fare raise, which is not definite, doesn’t happen, “but right now that’s the reality that I have to work with.”
MTA officials said the biannual increases were laid out in an agreement in 2009 with the state legislature. Cutting services to balance the budget isn’t an option, they added. The MTA recently announced the restoration of $29 million in service.
The public is encouraged to participate in the fare raise decision by attending public hearings or sending in a video testimony.
Riders shared their opinions on the proposed changes. Mark Farima, an attorney who buys the 30-day pass, said that even with fare raises, riding the subway is still worth it as the network goes all over the city and is less expensive than taxis.
Leonard Jackson, an MTA bus driver who began using the 7-day pass after his car insurance expired, said part of the issue is lost revenue through people evading paying fares. “I guess I’m on [MTAs] side,” he said. “They work 24/7; they have to keep everybody going to where they have to go.”
When told about the different fare increase options, Zaied Reid, a construction worker waiting for a bus on 34th Street, said “That’s going to be painful.”
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