It's Official! MTA Approves Fare and Toll Hike

It’s official!

Those using public transportation around New York will spend more money after the MTA board approved a fare and toll hike Wednesday.

After a January promise not to raise fares amid budget uncertainty, the MTA reversed it course Monday and announced plans to vote on a possible fare hike Wednesday. That possibility has become reality.

So what do the new fares entail?

Drivers will have to pay more since tolls will go up about 4 percent starting on March 31. Meanwhile, EZ Pass will increase from $5.76 to $6.12 and cash tolls will go up $1 from $8.50 to $9.50.

However, commuters using public transportation will have a bit of a grace period before the fare hike for the MTA and commuter rails go into effect April 21.

The $2.75 MetroCard base fare will remain the same. However, a weekly MetroCard increases from $30 to $33. A monthly MetroCard will go up from $121 to $127. Meanwhile, the express bus fare will go up from $6.50 to $6.75.

Overall, commuter rail fares will increase about 4 percent but no more than $15 per month.

Additionally, there is not fare increase for commuters who purchase monthly passes of $460 or more.

“This is painful for a lot of people,” said MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer on the fare hike. “But it wasn’t exactly a mugging."

The fare hike arrives as reports emerged that the MTA’s money woes are so severe, the agency might scale back a plan to add elevators at key stations from 50 to 36, something NYC Transit President Andy Byford reassured would not happen given that he is still committed to the planned 50 stations.

Now that the MTA board approved an fare and toll increase, it still remains unclear how much the MTA will get from Albany for the full modernization plan.