By Philip Newman
The MTA is holding a public hearing on its latest round of fare hike proposals Monday, Dec. 5, at York College
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has come up with two options for a raise in subway and bus fares with the possibility of a $3 ride starting in March.
The MTA emphasizes that a raise is essential and the amount of the proposed increase has been held to a minimum.
The agency reminded straphangers once again that just over half of the MTA’s operating budget comes from fares and tolls, but it has achieved $1.8 billion in 2016 annual savings with more cutting planned annually to hold down the increases.
“The MTA continues to keep its promise to make sure that fare and toll increases, while necessary to keep our system running, remain as low as possible and that they are done in as equitably a way as possible,” said MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast.
One of the MTA’s plans would mean increasing subway and bus fares to $3 from $2.75.
In Plan A, the new $3 fare would come with a bonus of as much as 16 percent for each MetroCard purchase of more than $6.
Plan B would keep the base fare at $2.75, but the bonus would be only 5 percent on each purchase of at least $5.50.
Under both plans a weekly MetroCard would increase by $1 to $32, with a monthly pass rising by $4.50 to $121.
The new and tolls would become effective March 19.
The proposed increases will be the subject of an open public hearing—one of eight to be held citywide—at the Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts Center at York College, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., in Jamaica from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday
The new fares and tolls will be voted on by the MTA board in January.
