Great Historical Synopsis of the Student Half Fare Program

[BrooklynBus]

http://john-rozankowski.suite101.com/new-york-city-students-derail-the-mta-a394665

 

Will Smart Cards mean the end of Student Discounts?

[Gorgor]

Wait... please tell me that the article has an error in it.

 

Before 2009 students had a discount and were only supposed to pay $2.50 to ride the express bus?!? Why the hell didn't the schools nor the MTA make any mention of such? I used to always pay the full adult fare when I used to take the X90 to school. I could've saved $1000 a year...

[IntExp]

Wait... please tell me that the article has an error in it.

 

Before 2009 students had a discount and were only supposed to pay $2.50 to ride the express bus?!? Why the hell didn't the schools nor the MTA make any mention of such? I used to always pay the full adult fare when I used to take the X90 to school. I could've saved $1000 a year...

 

Yea, that is most likely an error. The machine would have rejected the card, not to mention that the B/O would have given you an angry look. Student MC's are programmed so that they won't work on Express Buses. There might be a way to reprogram it, but it is rarely, if ever done.

 

------

 

Also another bone I have to pick with this article is the fact the the author wants to city to run the subway's and buses again. Didn't the subway suffer from massive deferred maintenance while the cities controlled them? And besides, how would the city run them properly, if the out mayor has the brillant idea of sending a across the river to NJ?

[error46146]

Personally I think a City-run subway is worth another shot; get rid of the huge bureaucracy that is the MTA.

 

The ONLY Express bus with the student discount was the x32 to Bronx Science, which is now done away with. All other express routes do not accept student metrocards.

[BrooklynBus]

Wait... please tell me that the article has an error in it.

 

Before 2009 students had a discount and were only supposed to pay $2.50 to ride the express bus?!? Why the hell didn't the schools nor the MTA make any mention of such? I used to always pay the full adult fare when I used to take the X90 to school. I could've saved $1000 a year...

 

Were you using your half fare card or just paying the full fare or using a regular card because you did not know you could have used the student card, if the machines would have indeed accepted it?

[Fresh Pond]

Yea, that is most likely an error. The machine would have rejected the card, not to mention that the B/O would have given you an angry look. Student MC's are programmed so that they won't work on Express Buses. There might be a way to reprogram it, but it is rarely, if ever done.

 

Actually believe it or not, the express buses in Bus actually took student full fare metrocards (before they got rid of the student discount). What they (students) had to do was put in their metrocards, then put in the extra money in coins. But mostt drivers just let the students dip in their cards and forget about the rest.

 

That's how I used to get home from the city back in my sophmore year of HS...I always caught the 4:58 BM2 from 57 St and I almost never paid the extra fare (except when the usual driver was off).

 

But since they got rid of the student discounts on express buses, no student metrocars are accepted at all on any express bus

[BrooklynBus]

Actually believe it or not, the express buses in Bus actually took student full fare metrocards (before they got rid of the student discount). What they (students) had to do was put in their metrocards, then put in the extra money in coins. But mostt drivers just let the students dip in their cards and forget about the rest.

 

That's how I used to get home from the city back in my sophmore year of HS...I always caught the 4:58 BM2 from 57 St and I almost never paid the extra fare (except when the usual driver was off).

 

But since they got rid of the student discounts on express buses, no student metrocars are accepted at all on any express bus

 

 

So what you are saying if I understand you correctly, is that reduced fare for students on express buses was never officially the policy, just something that was allowed by individual drivers.

[Fresh Pond]

So what you are saying if I understand you correctly, is that reduced fare for students on express buses was never officially the policy, just something that was allowed by individual drivers.

 

It was offically the policy, it was even on the individual line maps itself (again, on Bus only, not sure about NYCT Bus). The farebox took the fare and it still registered as a student. But since most kids just used regular metrocards, not a lot of drivers actually enforced the extra fare rule

[BrooklynBus]

It was offically the policy, it was even on the individual line maps itself (again, on Bus only, not sure about NYCT Bus). The farebox took the fare and it still registered as a student. But since most kids just used regular metrocards, not a lot of drivers actually enforced the extra fare rule

 

Now I'm just totally confused. What was the official policy? Case 1 - To accept reduced fare cards as the full fare to be paid? If so why was it necessary to put in extra money? Or case 2 - was the official policy to add change to the reduced cards thereby making a full fare because a reduced fare was not official policy on express buses. That seems to be what you are saying because otherwise it would have made no sense for most kids to just use regular cards. Which one was it 1 or 2?

[error46146]

Your student card covers the 2.25 part of the fare. The remaining 3.25 is for you to pay.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Fresh Pond]

Your student card covers the 2.25 part of the fare. The remaining 3.25 is for you to pay.

 

In a nutshell, yes. But the farebox beeped like you would be on a regular local bus

[checkmatechamp13]

Actually believe it or not, the express buses in Bus actually took student full fare metrocards (before they got rid of the student discount). What they (students) had to do was put in their metrocards, then put in the extra money in coins. But mostt drivers just let the students dip in their cards and forget about the rest.

 

That's how I used to get home from the city back in my sophmore year of HS...I always caught the 4:58 BM2 from 57 St and I almost never paid the extra fare (except when the usual driver was off).

 

But since they got rid of the student discounts on express buses, no student metrocars are accepted at all on any express bus

 

Farebeater!

 

Yeah, I think that program only applied to MTA Bus routes for some reason, and not the NYCT ones.

 

Your student card covers the 2.25 part of the fare. The remaining 3.25 is for you to pay.

 

Before, that was sort-of the case (the fare was $5, and the Student MetroCard paid $2.50, when the local was only $2, so you got a little bit of a bonus). However, now you can't use the Student MetroCard on the express bus at all.

 

It would've come in handy this summer when I went to Cooper Union. Believe me, after the long commute on a bus->ferry->subway (or bus->->), I was exhausted. I would've paid $3.25 to get a nice, comfortable ride in on a couple of occasions, but since the express bus would charge the full $5.50, I decided I'd stick with the local bus.

 

In a nutshell, yes. But the farebox beeped like you would be on a regular local bus

 

So what did it read on the display? When I dip my Student MetroCard on a local bus, it reads "Student OK". What did it read on the express bus?

 

Would it theoretically be possible for you to cover your hand over the display and pretend it was a regular MetroCard so you wouldn't have to pay at all, in case it wasn't the regular driver (out of curiosity. Not that it matters since the program is over)?

[mark1447]

As always, they blame the for every little thing. Why don't all these protestors go UP to Albany and tell THEM to give the MTA the funds needed to pay up for transportation? Why not head to the DOE for this as well? Why should the its self fund for students?

 

TBH, i think the should charge them. Some students farebeat the system, even WITH having a Student Pass. Some don't even use it for just going home or important after school program. They use it for other crap as well. Not all students are like this, but SOME are!

 

Instead of having them pay full fare, have them pay the same discounted price just like the Seniors/Disabled. It could help bring in some money. Eliminate the full 3 fare MetroCard, and switch to the Half fare type. While this won't help cut down on fare evasion, some to a lot of students would pay that then paying 2.25/.50...

[Fresh Pond]

Farebeater!

 

Yeah, I think that program only applied to MTA Bus routes for some reason, and not the NYCT ones.

 

 

 

Before, that was sort-of the case (the fare was $5, and the Student MetroCard paid $2.50, when the local was only $2, so you got a little bit of a bonus). However, now you can't use the Student MetroCard on the express bus at all.

 

It would've come in handy this summer when I went to Cooper Union. Believe me, after the long commute on a bus->ferry->subway (or bus->->), I was exhausted. I would've paid $3.25 to get a nice, comfortable ride in on a couple of occasions, but since the express bus would charge the full $5.50, I decided I'd stick with the local bus.

 

 

 

So what did it read on the display? When I dip my Student MetroCard on a local bus, it reads "Student OK". What did it read on the express bus?

 

Would it theoretically be possible for you to cover your hand over the display and pretend it was a regular MetroCard so you wouldn't have to pay at all, in case it wasn't the regular driver (out of curiosity. Not that it matters since the program is over)?

 

Its not farebeating if they let you on B)

 

As for your other questions, the farebox still said "Student ok". And even if you cover the top display up, the driver has his/her own display on the other side of the farebox

[error46146]

The driver has their own display on the other side of the farebox, so you can't cover up or hide anything lol

 

[BrooklynBus]

I think I understand now. Prior to the increase in express bus fare to $5.50, MTA Bus allowed students to pay half fare or $2.25. But you had to pay $5 on other express bus routes operated by the MTA. Now everyone pays $5.50 because express buses now reject student cards. Since many MTA bus riders didn't enforce the rule, some students just paid $1 to ride the express bus instead of $2.50 or just rode for free and just dipped their card. Is that correct?

[checkmatechamp13]

As always, they blame the for every little thing. Why don't all these protestors go UP to Albany and tell THEM to give the MTA the funds needed to pay up for transportation? Why not head to the DOE for this as well? Why should the its self fund for students?

 

TBH, i think the should charge them. Some students farebeat the system, even WITH having a Student Pass. Some don't even use it for just going home or important after school program. They use it for other crap as well. Not all students are like this, but SOME are!

 

Instead of having them pay full fare, have them pay the same discounted price just like the Seniors/Disabled. It could help bring in some money. Eliminate the full 3 fare MetroCard, and switch to the Half fare type. While this won't help cut down on fare evasion, some to a lot of students would pay that then paying 2.25/.50...

 

IIRC, when the students protested, they did stand outside City Hall.

 

I definitely agree that the MTA shouldn't be funding it, but the point is that I feel it is a necessary program and if the DOE can't fund it, well then some agency has to find funds for it, and in this case it was the MTA.

 

Its not farebeating if they let you on

 

As for your other questions, the farebox still said "Student ok". And even if you cover the top display up, the driver has his/her own display on the other side of the farebox

 

Alright then. But I guess as long as you dip something in and it doesn't emit that deeper *Boop*, most drivers don't care.

 

By the way, did it use up one of your three rides when you used it on the express bus?

 

I think I understand now. Prior to the increase in express bus fare to $5.50, MTA Bus allowed students to pay half fare or $2.25. But you had to pay $5 on other express bus routes operated by the MTA. Now everyone pays $5.50 because express buses now reject student cards. Since many MTA bus riders didn't enforce the rule, some students just paid $1 to ride the express bus instead of $2.50 or just rode for free and just dipped their card. Is that correct?

 

Students were supposed to pay $2.50, not $2.25 (the express bus fare was $5), but some students just dipped their Student MetroCard and got on for free.

 

Now, yes everybody pays the full fare on the express bus ($5.50 or a weekly $50 MetroCard).

[Fresh Pond]

...By the way, did it use up one of your three rides when you used it on the express bus?

 

Yeas it did...usually in the mornings I would get a ride to school and by the time I got out, I still had the 3 fares...I used the 1st one to get to the city to get to this program I went to, and the 2nd fare was on the BM2...if traffic was good (most days), I would still have the transfer to hop on the B6...if not, the 3rd fare would be on the B6 to get home

[Melvin]

I took the BxM3 back in May, and when I dipped my Student Metro it said Error but I paid $2.25 and and the driver let me in.