We haven't discussed fare hikes on this program since December, when the MTA board approved the increases. Well, straphangers certainly haven't cooled their heels since then. The idea of having to pay even a cent more for the service they say they receive had the phone lines flickering furiously tonight. I guess the only thing I can say is... buy that monthly MetroCard before Sunday.

Round one of the MTA’s latest fare and toll increases went into effect this morning. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad riders were the first to take the hit. Their fares jumped between eight and nine percent, depending on the distance and type of ticket. Subway and bus riders will feel the pain on Sunday, when the base fare goes up a quarter to $2.50. A single ride will cost $2.75. The 7-day MetroCard will go up $1, making it $30. And, the price of a monthly MetroCard will cost $112, up from $104. Express buses are going up to $6, and a 7-day express bus plus MetroCard will run $55 instead of $50.

Also on Sunday morning, toll increases on MTA bridges and tunnels will go into effect. The MTA has said fare and toll hikes are needed because of the rising costs for employee healthcare, pensions and other benefits. Straphangers have argued the MTA has too many high-salaried employees, and they don’t see a difference in service, despite rising prices. What do you say?

How will these fare and toll hikes affect your commute? Will you be changing your commuting habits as a result? Are subways and buses still the cheapest way to get around town? What do you think is a fair price to be able ride around the five boroughs of New York City?

Send your thoughts using the e-mail link above.

A fair fare hike: NONE!!!

Who do they think they are? The employees have to get with the program and start paying some portion of health care, everyone else is why not them. I don't get raises in my salaries. They need to stop giving in to the union. Remember what Regan did with the air traffic controllers? If they privatize the MTA you would see how fast things would change!

Frustrated straphanger
Forest hills

The only way transportation fees will ever be fair is for the operations to be privatized and forced to compete on the free market. As long as they are run by government, you'll never know what's fair or unfair.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

Fair Fare - $1.50. Discounts for children while in school.

Of course it will change a commute, people will
shop less, shop with their children less,
go to places less ( zoo, museum, anything).
An outing for three people round trip would be
$15.00. That is a lot of money to go anywhere,
never mind the cost of admission.

This greed is out of control.

Bah Humbug,
Esmerelda, East Village, NYC

It's too much advantage the MTA OFFICIALS are taking on commuters. Why not cut down on their employees benefits to save. The MTA employees get too of benefits and their service is no good. Let them pay for travel, why must they get FREE PASS. More so some bus drivers are rude, and other workers never know anything when you ask them something. It's hard to pay such high fares. Someone needs to stop the bullies of the MTA from taking advantage.

Ruthann

We the public need to demand that they open all their books to us so that we can see just where this money is going. We can no longer put up with this automatic increase in fares of all kinds. Get rid of all the excess baggage that this MTA carries because we just can't keep going on and on like this any longer without them cutting the hangers on. [START CUTTING FROM THE TOP]

maxxiee
mp

When the bus and subway fares increase goes into effect,will there be a corresponding increase in the quality of service for the riding public?The MTA is always complaining that it never has enough money and has to raise the fares in order to reduce its budget deficit,but the service it provides to the people of this city certainly has not been improved significantly.Why don't the executives on the MTA Board voluntarily reduce their salaries to help offset the deficit? New Yorkers are tired of being nickled and dimed every time there is a fare increase.Enough is enough already!

John
Fresh Meadows

The MTA's argument that fares and tolls are rising solely because of employee healthcare, pensions and other benefits is 100% complete and total B.S. The MTA is raising fares and tolls to cover huge cost overruns associated with projects like the 2nd Ave. subway, East Side Access, and the Fulton St. Transportation hub. The MTA has over $30 billion dollars in outstanding debt, and paid out over $2 billion in annual interest payments in 2012, at interest rates of nearly 7% annually. If the MTA re-financed that debt at current interest rates, and better monitored the contractors working on those projects, they would save hundreds of millions of dollars annually in interest payments, and eliminate the need to constantly raise fares and tolls.

PETE FROM MANHATTAN

I am a NYC resident. I was recently in Boston MA and purchased an weekly unlimited
zone 1 MetroCard for $18!

As someone who pays NYC taxes I feel residents/employees who pay NYC taxes should be given discounted rates as compared with visitors.

Margaret

The MTA is run terribly. My salary doesn't increase 9 percent in 4 out of 5 years like their increases to riders have. Pensions and health care are primary reasons for the increase but it's not managed efficiently. The public shouldn't put up with this. Have a hearing and get Cuomo involved.

Tom in Mt. Vernon

Bloomberg is the biggest liar in the world! I ride the subways every day. There are no cops, the trains break down all the time, and the delays are horrendous. He thinks we are all stupid and don't know that he takes a very short ride with his security detail and goes from limo to station to limo. Stop insulting us Bloomberg. We are not as stupid as you think we are.

Frances
East Village

Even at $2.50 the nyc mta is still s bargain. Where else can you ride as far as you want for the same fare? Anywhere else you pay according to how much track you cover like the rail. Actually, in this day and age, the long island railroad should run like a subway also.

Elena
Bayside

They can rent space underground for stores. I have been trying to rent for years. If it was their money they would rent every square inch. Go to japan. Entire malls underground.

rollngotogo

I believe that this hike in fare is atrocious given the below-par service that the MTA offers. There continues to be an increase in fare every few years, yet the trains are evermore dysfunctional. I reside in Queens where I frequently take the 7 train to school and work, but constantly have to deal with delays due to signal malfunctions, never-ending "track work" that occur for weeks at a time only to be conducted again the next month, etc. It would be one thing if service were improved as a consequence of fare hikes, but I have yet to see adequate improvements. MTA argues that the fare hike is necessary for offsetting the cost of providing for their employees, but I am highly doubtful that this money is going into the pockets of average employees, and feel instead that it will be used to give salary raises to the more wealthy members of the MTA. If I could, I would stop using the subway and bus systems but sadly I have no other option.

Maruf
Resident of Sunnyside

It is ridiculously expensive to live and work in NY as it is . My usual commute is the LIRR to Penn Station and then the subway. With these increases, I will likely have to walk about a mile to the nearest subway station so as to decrease my costs . MY income does not go up because the expense of getting to work does!

Michelle

I find it troubling that the MTA Fare increase is approved in this economy while the initiative proposed for paid sick leave for workers isn't even considered because of the poor economy. Why does it always seem that a benefit for workers gets placed in the "delay or never" status while we continue to pay more for transit, health insurance and other necessities.

I realize this is off the topic but the NYC Council should be restructured to allow the NYC Council to overrule the Speaker's position on new legislation.

John, Oakwood

Hmmmm 45% of New Yorkers are socialist :) Wondering when people are going to get sick & tired and call for a "general strike": shut the economy down!

Vince
Harlem

HAVING MICHAEL BLOOMBERG ADVOCATE FOR A FAIR HIKE IS LIKE HANIBAL LECTER AS A PERSONAL CHEF !

DENNIS NYC

I was always curious to learn how do they calculate how much to raise the fares & tolls? And I also realize they raise the fares & tolls a certain time of year, why is that? I would like to figure out how they determine the rates and when they should raise it.

When I read in the AM paper this morning that the fares were increasing I was not surprised but how can they raise it higher if the salary of commuters are not being raised??? New York is already expensive as it is. I would really love to know how they determine new prices. New Yorkers should have a say when it comes to the change in MTA rates.

Tahlia

I agree with Pete (one of your e-mailers), and with (one of your callers) from West Farms. It seems as if New Yorkers are being jerked left and right with tax increases and MTA fare increases. There ought to be better budget managing abilities or other ways to tackle the present issue the MTA is facing concerning pension and health benefits. Many of the riders themselves don't have pensions or health insurance/benefits yet they are paying for some else's pension and health benefits simply because there wasn't money saved anywhere to cover the MTA's additional expenses. The folks in the position to budget corporation finances get paid tons of money to do this. It's not fair that New Yorkers always have to pay the price for the mistakes that are made. It's like telling a child, "I will take your candy from you because I am bigger than you and there is nothing that you can do about it." While we may be paying a reasonable fare ($2.25), it's becoming a matter of when do we the people who shed this money have a say prior to the MTA a making decision. It's an abuse of power since the MTA is aware that there are 8 million people that ride and rely on the MTA everyday.

Jessica, Inwood

Maybe everyone can by a bicycle like it was suggested 7 years ago by a politician that keeps blaming workers benefits.

What about The Politicians Pensions ??? Hmmmm ?

Nancy - Riverdale

There has been a decapitated squirrel carcass in the front part of the 7 train 'local' track at times square since Sandy hit. I have to pay $5 to take an indirect route on the weekends (because the 7 train doesn't run into the city on weekends) so I can study at my school's library. Very recently the entire 7 train was shut down for a while during the evening rush hour because of power issues at 90th street. I arrange my schedule around the MTA's construction work and never leave the house without checking their website for delays. I pay full fare, every time, and have done my entire life.

The least they can do is pick up the damn squirrel.

Jennifer

Lets follow the riders of the 1950's in alabama and boycott, boycott, boycott. I like the idea of a 1 day strike of subways & buses. Hit them in the pocket. Only thing they understand!

Denise
Harlem

I agree with Glen...I find the fare reasonable. What I have a problem with is the overcrowding, filth and peoples sense of entitlement that they can take anything on the system like (strollers and bikes)...and take up space yet not pay anything additional.

This is more unfair to me than the increase itself. I don't mind paying more but I find no matter what I pay it doesn't matter....the system was not designed to carry the current load of people that are using it.

Until this is addressed, we will always have disgruntled riders...

Feline