Unlimited MetroCards will reach $168 by 2023

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Unlimited MetroCards will reach $168 by 2023: report New York City's Independent Budget Office conducted an analysis of the MTA's ongoing fare hikes. It found over a decade, the unlimited subway pass would jump from its current $112 to $168, the base fare would rise from $2.50 to $3.75 and weekly MetroCards could rise from $30 to $45. Comments (24) BY ANDY MAI AND PETE DONOHUE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013, 12:07 PM UPDATED: TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013, 4:52 PM

SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES At its current pace, the MTA’s fare hikes could push the cost of an unlimited MetroCard from $112 to $168. The base fare and weekly rates would also be noticeably higher, according to an analysis by the Independent Budget Office.

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The $168 MetroCard may be in your not-too-distant future.

That will be the price of a monthly bus and subway pass in a decade if the MTA continues its current pattern of every-other-year fare hikes, according to an analysis by the city's Independent Budget Office. The unlimited-ride monthly MetroCard now costs $112.

The $2.50 base fare would rise to $3.75 by 2023 and the $30 weekly MetroCard would cost $45, according to the analysis the IBO conducted for the Straphangers Campaign.

"Constant fare hikes will overburden riders, discourage use of mass transit, and cannot be sustained over time," Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign, said. "Without more financial support from Albany, the MTA might as well start making announcements that, 'There is a fare hike right behind this one.'"

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Riders like Alexandra Rosario, 35, a social worker from Manhattan, said the MTA's fare pattern just isn't fair.

"It seems like fares are going up but income is not," Rosario said.

 

Tara Myers, 41, a teacher, said: "It's pretty awful."

And Gabriela Carneiro, 33, who is unemployed, said a $168 MetroCard would be unattainable.

MAISEL, TODD,, NY DAILY NEWS Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said 'Constant fare hikes will overburden riders, discourage use of mass transit, and cannot be sustained over time.'

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"It's a ridiculous amount of money," Myers said. "People can't live like that."

Russianoff said he was looking to Gov. Cuomo and state legislative leaders to find new funding sources to avoid or soften the looming increases.

He ackowleged the MTA had cut $700 million from its annual operations - and plans to slash hundreds of millions more - but said riders need some relief from this "steady drumbeat of hikes."

Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Adam Lisberg said the projected fares are "purely hypothetical."

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"It's way too early to say what kind of fare hikes we're going to be talking about in two years."

The MTA raised fares on average 8.4% in late 2010 and again in March. Its latest budget plan envisions 8.4% increases in 2015 and 2017 although specific changes to the base fare and different types of MetroCards, commuter tickets and river-crossing tolls have not been determined.

MTA officials have said they are confronting rising "uncontrollable expenses" such as health care for workers and retirees. 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/unlimited-metrocards-reach-168-2023-report-article-1.1412677

[peacemak3r]

Well...if gas prices stay under $5 by that time, I'll definitely be ditching mass transit.  But then again if fares go up, I'm sure tolls go up..I can imagine paying $30 to cross the Verrazano. =/

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well...if gas prices stay under $5 by that time, I'll definitely be ditching mass transit.  But then again if fares go up, I'm sure tolls go up..I can imagine paying $30 to cross the Verrazano. =/

$45 for a weekly for the local bus and subway is insane.  I pay $55 a week for the express bus now, so that would probably be a good $75 - 80 a week by that time, not to mention what MetroNorth would cost.

[peacemak3r]

In the case that gas goes above the $5 a gallon mark, I'll seriously would have to consider riding a bike to work/school or even invest in learning how to ride a motorcycle.

 

$168 is mind boggling..I mean I can deal with $112 or $125 but $168? Sh*t man.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

In the case that gas goes above the $5 a gallon mark, I'll seriously would have to consider riding a bike to work/school or even invest in learning how to ride a motorcycle.

 

$168 is mind boggling..I mean I can deal with $112 or $125 but $168? Sh*t man.

I had one of my students ask me today if I could go to New Rochelle to tutor him at his vineyard and I told him politely hell no. I was nice enough not to charge him for the late cancellation.  If it were a three hour session, then it would be worth it but I am not paying $15.00 - 20.00 to travel there on MetroNorth for a one hour session, not to mention that I'm not being paid travel time to tutor him either, as I would charge in some cases, so it's either Manhattan or his place where I don't shell out extra monies and time.  It's not even about the money but about me making a profit.  Hell pretty soon, I may just say screw mass transit, buy a car and be done with it, but even if I did drive I would not waste the gas to drive 30 - 40 minutes from Riverdale to New Rochelle for a one hour session not unless I was being paid $50.00 - 75.00 for the session, but for a $25.00/hr session, forget it.  These sessions basically cover my express bus for the month, but he hasn't had a session in over a month, so I'm not exactly in dire need of the cash, so it's kind of like whenever I'm free and he's free then we meet, but he needs the tutoring not me, so the ball is in his court.

[trainfan22]

Wow, seems like NYC roads will have DMV/LA like traffic once the fares reach this high...

 

Would be interesting to see what the fares will be on Transit systems in other cities in America to compare.

 

On the plus side this could help fight obesity rates, people won't use transit to travel short distances

[MHV9218]

The Daily News are great at muckraking over non-stories. This is just some genius at the IBO who did the math on the projected increases and figured out the pattern, not an official announcement by the MTA. Anyway, I'll stick to my MetroCard-pizza slice metric for what's fair. 

 

Not to mention, the whole concept is fares is an incredibly unequal flat tax that screws over those who do the most commuting (outer borough residents who make middle class salaries) while not requiring much from those who do the least (inner Manhattan residents with high salaries).

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The Daily News are great at muckraking over non-stories. This is just some genius at the IBO who did the math on the projected increases and figured out the pattern, not an official announcement by the MTA. Anyway, I'll stick to my MetroCard-pizza slice metric for what's fair. 

 

Not to mention, the whole concept is fares is an incredibly unequal flat tax that screws over those who do the most commuting (outer borough residents who make middle class salaries) while not requiring much from those who do the least (inner Manhattan residents with high salaries).

Why should Manhattan residents pay crazy amounts just to take the subway and the local bus?  If anything I would say that suburbanites such as myself who live in Riverdale and Westchester residents along with Long Island residents pay high amounts to commute via MetroNorth, the LIRR and the express bus, but outerborough folks are generally using the subways to get Manhattan, just as the people in Manhattan do.

[MHV9218]

Why should Manhattan residents pay crazy amounts just to take the subway and the local bus?  If anything I would say that suburbanites such as myself who live in Riverdale and Westchester residents along with Long Island residents pay high amounts to commute via MetroNorth, the LIRR and the express bus, but outerborough folks are generally using the subways to get Manhattan, just as the people in Manhattan do.

 

Manhattan residents should not pay crazy amounts. But upper-middle and upper class Manhattan residents--of which there are many--should be paying more for service than low-income outer borough residents. In reality, it's the outer borough residents most dependent on the trains to Manhattan who pay the massive amounts for unlimiteds, while well-off Manhattan residents do not. Metro North and the LIRR are different situations, and express buses are a whole different ballfield.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Manhattan residents should not pay crazy amounts. But upper-middle and upper class Manhattan residents--of which there are many--should be paying more for service than low-income outer borough residents. 

Oh please. My boss uses the local bus to commute to and from the office and I don't see why she should have to pay any more than an average Manhattanite because she happens to be upper class. She could just drive one of the cars to the office but it's easier to just take the bus from the Upper East Side.  Your reasoning for penalizing people like her is nothing but your usual tirade against the upper middle class and upper class.  I also don't see why MetroNorth, the LIRR and the express bus should be raised to ridiculous amounts.  I already pay $10.75 during the rush on MetroNorth one way when you include the Hudson Rail Link cost if I pay with a pay-per-ride card, so how much is too much for a one way ride before folks start ditching transit and just use their cars?  I would think if it reached $20.00 each way to use MetroNorth per day, some would consider alternatives.  I mean hell for $40.00, you can have a nice lunch right there.

[bobtehpanda]

The sad part is, this is still better than either WMATA or BART.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The sad part is, this is still better than either WMATA or BART.

I think $168.00 is very expensive for someone who just uses the local bus or the subway.  I was paying $164.00 a month when the express bus Unlimited card was $41.00 and that was back in 2006 I think.  Now I pay about $220.00 a month.

[MHV9218]

It's not a tirade, it's about what's fair. If I'm a busboy who makes $20,000 a year and have has to commute in from the Rockaways with an Unlimited card, I'm devoting (with these numbers) more than 10% of my yearly income to transit. If I'm a professional on the UES making $200,000 a year and commuting downtown to my job in Midtown with two rides per work day, I'm devoting .6% of my yearly income to transit. How is that anywhere near fair? 

 

As for Metro North, LIRR, express buses: I just don't support flat rates. Fares should be income-based.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

It's not a tirade, it's about what's fair. If I'm a busboy who makes $20,000 a year and have has to commute in from the Rockaways with an Unlimited card, I'm devoting (with these numbers) more than 10% of my yearly income to transit. If I'm a professional on the UES making $200,000 a year and commuting downtown to my job in Midtown with two rides per work day, I'm devoting .6% of my yearly income to transit. How is that anywhere near fair? 

 

As for Metro North, LIRR, express buses: I just don't support flat rates. Fares should be income-based.

Sorry pal, this not the USSR.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It's not a tirade, it's about what's fair. If I'm a busboy who makes $20,000 a year and have has to commute in from the Rockaways with an Unlimited card, I'm devoting (with these numbers) more than 10% of my yearly income to transit. If I'm a professional on the UES making $200,000 a year and commuting downtown to my job in Midtown with two rides per work day, I'm devoting .6% of my yearly income to transit. How is that anywhere near fair? 

 

As for Metro North, LIRR, express buses: I just don't support flat rates. Fares should be income-based.

For starters, those of us who earn more pay a substantial amount in income taxes to subsidize the fares so I think it's ridiculous that someone like myself (an upper middle class single professional, who already gets slammed in taxes) should have a higher fare simply because I earn more than the bus boy.  Who's fault is that? It's almost as if you're punishing people for becoming successful and working hard for their money.

[MHV9218]

Sorry pal, this not the USSR.

 

Okay, so I talk about fair service policies and you cry out COMMUNISM! Very nice.

 

 

For starters, those of us who earn more pay a substantial amount in income taxes to subsidize the fares so I think it's ridiculous that someone like myself (an upper middle class single professional, who already gets slammed in taxes) should have a higher fare simply because I earn more than the bus boy.  Who's fault is that? It's almost as if you're punishing people for becoming successful and working hard for their money.

 

 

Glad things are going so well for you. Unfortunately, despite your successes, you still seem confused. You are by every definition of history not slammed in taxes: rates on the upper class are at historical lows, and inequality is at historical highs, so save me that sob story. Secondly, as has been explained many, many times: taxation is not punishment. It's how society works, and your entire life (and all your hard work and success) has been subsidized by taxation (to put it in some infamous words, "you didn't build that"), so you should probably understand that.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Glad things are going so well for you. Unfortunately, despite your successes, you still seem confused. You are by every definition of history not slammed in taxes: rates on the upper class are at historical lows, and inequality is at historical highs, so save me that sob story. Secondly, as has been explained many, many times: taxation is not punishment. It's how society works, and your entire life (and all your hard work and success) has been subsidized by taxation (to put it in some infamous words, "you didn't build that"), so you should probably understand that.

News flash... Single working professionals pay more than couples here in New York City because the thinking is that we have more disposable income since we don't have families or kids, so those who are married with kids get more tax breaks than we do.

 

And most of my college was paid with MY OWN MONEY that I earned and the rest was from student loans.  I got some funding from grants and such but not much since my family didn't qualify for "gubment" funding.   

[MHV9218]

News flash... Single working professionals pay more than couples here in New York City because the thinking is that we have more disposable income since we don't have families or kids, so those who are married with kids get more tax breaks than we do.

 

And most of my college was paid with MY OWN MONEY that I earned and the rest was from student loans.  I got some funding from grants and such but not much since my family didn't qualify for "gubment" funding.   

 

Okay. And? 

 

Do you really thing college is the only thing the government has to do with? Your entire life, in ways you can see and ways that you can't is paid for by the government and all of our taxes. From your ability to walk down the street without being mugged thanks to our police department to your ability to hop on an express bus every morning, it's all tax money. Nobody lives in America without being supported by taxes.

[qjtransitmaster]

At least it's still less than the WMATA monthly that doesn't even cover connecting buses which there they still pay for separate passes.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Okay. And? 

 

Do you really thing college is the only thing the government has to do with? Your entire life, in ways you can see and ways that you can't is paid for by the government and all of our taxes. From your ability to walk down the street without being mugged thanks to our police department to your ability to hop on an express bus every morning, it's all tax money. Nobody lives in America without being supported by taxes.

Of course, but you can't sit here and BS me about how more of my money should be spent on transportation when I already pay my fair share of taxes.  Your "proposal" reeks of envy to bag the upper middle class and upper class folks for being successful as if that's supposed to even the playing field when the reality is those earning peanuts at the bottom are responsible for their own situation and their own failures in life.

[bobtehpanda]

Jesus, every time we start talking about the fare this old argument comes up.

 

A flat fare is unfair, but what would you have replace it? A zoned fare? That's even worse for outer-borough middle class residents.

 

Unless everyone starts carrying a national ID card linked to their IRS information, there's no logistically feasible way to charge people more for the subway based on their income, without also hurting those at the very bottom. Even if that were possible, it wouldn't work, because the smart rich people incorporate and store their taxes in the Caymans. So can we not get into this?

[MHV9218]

Of course, but you can't sit here and BS me about how more of my money should be spent on transportation when I already pay my fair share of taxes.  Your "proposal" reeks of envy to bag the upper middle class and upper class folks for being successful as if that's supposed to even the playing field when the reality is those earning peanuts at the bottom are responsible for their own situation and their own failures in life.

 

I have no envy for you. And that is complete and total bullshit that those at the bottom "are responsible for their own situation and their own failures in life."  Total bullshit. 

 

 

 

Jesus, every time we start talking about the fare this old argument comes up.

 

A flat fare is unfair, but what would you have replace it? A zoned fare? That's even worse for outer-borough middle class residents.

 

No fares. Entirely tax-subsidized and congestion pricing funded transit. 

[4P3607]

We're going to have fare hikes in the near future, meanwhile we have this? --> http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/41916-cuomo-mta-budget-plans-mean-%E2%80%98m%E2%80%99-for-more-stops-%E2%80%98g%E2%80%99-for-greater-train-frequency/

 

They don't have enough money yet have more than enough at the same time... Use that extra money to keep the fare sustained!

[bobtehpanda]

No fares. Entirely tax-subsidized and congestion pricing funded transit. 

 

The fares will always have to exist, because if you don't, then people will get crushed to death in the subways and on buses. Fares also serve to moderate demand, which is why no big city has ever successfully had fare-free transit.

 

Exhibit A would be Guangzhou prior to the 2010 Asian Games, which made transit free to encourage greener transport. What ended up happening was that ridership doubled overnight, and the subway had to be closed off because crowding reached unsafe levels. Officials had to reinstitute fares to restore operational sanity to the system.

 

We have a subway infrastructure that can barely accommodate the current rush-hour crush, and you want to make transit free? It would be a logistical nightmare.

[peacemak3r]

Wow, seems like NYC roads will have DMV/LA like traffic once the fares reach this high...

 

What city are you in?  NY traffic have this type of traffic already.  Go take Cross-Bronx Expressway in the morning, FDR entering Brooklyn Bridge, BQE mid-day, Gowanus morning rush, LIE day light, Flatbush Avenue in downtown Brooklyn, the list goes on.