Tucked into the budget that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved Dec. 17 are details that Queens residents should ponder in the weeks ahead, as New York City Transit prepares to put into effect the cuts ordered by its parent agency.
Not reported by most media is the MTA’s decision to double the fare to as much as $6 per trip for Access−A−Ride customers.
Access−A−Ride customers are unable to use regular mass transit. Most are needy and more than a third are elderly who would be home−bound without the program.
Too many Access−A−Ride customers will be faced with a choice between a van ride and paying a bill.
The MTA has a $1.2 billion hole to fill, but does it really need to squeeze every last available dollar out of the frailest and most vulnerable among us?
Patricia Dolan
Flushing
