One week before the MTA board is set to vote on a mass transit fare hike plan, subway riders are venting their continued frustration about having to pay more as trains get even more crowded.
"I'm going to have to dig deeper in my bag, but I don't know if it's going to do any good," said Rosa Green of Parkchester in the Bronx as she stepped into yet another packed train on the Lexington Avenue line Friday.
Next week, the MTA board will vote on one of two plans. Under one proposal, the base fare for a subway ride rises from $2.50 to $2.75, but riders get an 11 percent bonus for spending $5.50 or more -- that is, two rides or more.
Under the other plan, there's no base fare increase but also no more bonuses. Tourists and New Yorkers get the same rate.
Either way, the monthly MetroCard goes up nearly $5 to $116.50 a month.
One rider was resigned to the fare increase, saying Friday, "It has to be sometimes, right? I'm OK with it."
But many are frustrated, especially with no quick fix for overcrowded rush hours.
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"They're making a lot of money," said Nassir Abdullah of Bushwick. "They should use the money that they have and budget it better."
Lynette Gonzalez of Brooklyn said, "How are you gonna hike the train when there's people that don't have the money to pay?"
The MTA says it has cut over $1 billion from its annual spending and plans to do more.
In Queens, the exasperation is at a whole new level.
"It feels like a slap in the face," said city councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, noting the fare hike arrives just as the 7 train begins another series of weekend closures, this time six weeks in a row.
Bramer said the city should run the fiscally challenged mass transit system, instead of giving Albany control.
"If we did, the MTA would be more accountable to the city of New York."
The proposed hikes would take effect in March.
| Fare Type | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 |
| Base MetroCard Fare/ Local Bus Cash Fare | $2.50 | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Bonus | 5% with $5 purchase | 11% with $5.50 purchase | No Bonus |
| Effective Fare with Bonus | $2.38 | $2.48 | $2.50 |
| Single Ride Ticket (base MetroCard/Cash Fare plus 25 cents) | $2.75 | $3.00 | $2.75 |
| Express Bus Fare Cash MetroCard with Bonus |
$6.00 $5.71 |
$6.50 $5.86 |
$6.00 $6.00 |
| 30-Day MetroCard | $112 | $116.50 | $116.50 |
| 7-Day MetroCard | $30.00 | $31.00 | $31.00 |
| 7-Day Express Bus Plus MetroCard | $55.00 | $57.25 | $57.25 |
| Access-a-Ride Fare | $2.50 | $2.75 | $2.50 |
Note: The $1 fee for purchasing a new MetroCard would remain unchanged.
(Source: MTA)
