The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is holding its first two hearings on proposed service cuts and plans to charge students for trips, but riders are already speaking out.

Hearings will be held simultaneously tonight in Queens and on Staten Island.

The agency has proposed eliminating the W and M subway lines, as well as dozens of local and express bus routes in an effort to close a nearly $800 million budget gap.

The agency has also been under fire for its proposal to eliminate free student MetroCards.

Astoria straphangers who are served by the W held a rally at the 30th Avenue subway station this morning, demanding that the MTA keep the train rolling.

If the W vanishes, the Q train would be extended to Astoria. But riders still don't like the idea of losing the W.

"This neighborhood is united in saying we can't have these false choices. You can't say to us on the one hand, 'We want to encourage people to use the train system,' on the other hand, 'We are going to cut service,'" said Costa Constantinides of the Long Island City Alliance.

"The N train is a great train, but [having] both of them is better and people have to get to work."

One elected official said riders must speak out tonight.

"Everyone who's affected by these cuts should get out to Queens tonight to make their voice heard,” said City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. “But secondly, we're calling attention to the fact that this is the one set of subway tracks in and out of northwestern Queens; it’s our lifeline, and to eliminate one of the trains that runs on it is ridiculous. You look for an area that's under-served, not a growing, vibrant area like this one. We need better service, not less service."

However, some locals told NY1 that they were unaware of tonight's meeting, and one transit user even told the station he did not think his attendance would make a difference.

Just last week, the agency announced plans to cut more than a thousand jobs from its payroll.

Tonight's hearings get underway at 6 p.m. at the College of Staten Island and the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel. Registration to speak ends at 9 p.m.