Council Member Robert Holden sharply criticized the MTA on Wednesday after the transit authority’s board approved a 2025 budget plan that includes fare hikes for public transportation and toll increases beginning next summer.
The MTA Board unanimously approved the budget at its monthly meeting on Dec. 18. The exact timeline and amount of the fare and toll increases have yet to be announced, but they could go into effect by August 2025.
The MTA has raised fares by about 4% every two years since 2009, with the most recent fare increase raising subway and bus fares from $2.75 to $2.90 in 2023. Fares were frozen in 2021 by Gov. Kathy Hochul as ridership plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The base fare for a subway or bus trip is expected to rise to $3 next summer.
Reacting to the fare hike, Holden described the increase as “pathetic” and “unacceptable.”
“The Miserable Transit Authority strike again, raiding the pockets of hardworking New Yorkers with their congestion tax scam and endless fare and toll hikes,” Holden said in a statement Wednesday. “Instead of rooting out waste and abuse within their bloated system, they keep the grift alive at our expense. This is pathetic, unacceptable, and New Yorkers deserve better.”
Holden represents the 30th Council District, which includes Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Elmhurst and Rego Park. Known for his vocal advocacy for fiscal accountability and quality-of-life issues, Holden has frequently called for reforms within city agencies, including the MTA, to ensure taxpayers’ money is effectively managed.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber defended the increases during Wednesday’s meeting, explaining that fare hikes have been part of the MTA’s financial plan for years.
“The pattern has been that the MTA fares go up 2% a year, and that is always programmed in the financial plan,” Lieber told reporters. He described the new fare as “reasonable” and said the agency is “trying to keep it that way.”
In addition to fare hikes, congestion pricing is set to take effect on Jan. 5. Drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street will face tolls of up to $9 during peak hours. The plan is expected to generate $15 billion for subway modernization, station accessibility upgrades, and the Second Avenue Subway expansion in Manhattan.
Congestion pricing revenue will also fund the purchase of 435 new subway cars, expected to be delivered in 2027. These will replace older models featuring wood paneling and orange and yellow seats on lines such as the A, C, N, Q, and W, as well as the Staten Island Railway.
Lieber highlighted recent ridership growth during the Board meeting, noting that the subway set a single-day ridership record last week, with 4.5 million customers.
“Compare that to 2021, when this group began when the average weekday was less than half of that level,” Lieber said.
He emphasized that improving ridership has been his top priority since taking over as MTA Chair, as it is essential for the agency’s financial stability.
