Despite Hike, MTA Likely To Keep Unlimited Rides
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Everyone wants to make sure the cash-strapped MTA doesn't do away with the unlimited-ride MetroCard. But nobody wants to pay more to keep it. With a fare hike all but certain, straphangers and advocates alike are weighing the options. NY1's John Mancini filed the following report.It's the love of New York's transit life, and the unlimited ride MetroCard looks like it's here to stay.
"There wasn't a lot of enthusiasm for the idea of a capped pass. I think that message has been heard loud and clear. I expect you'll see that in what comes forward to the board," said MTA Chairman & CEO Jay Walder.
At hearings across the city, riders spoke passionately in favor of keeping the unlimited 30-day card. No one was happy about the prospect of paying $104 when fares go up in January. But that's probably the price that will be presented when the MTA board votes next week.
"At this time I don't expect anything really differently from what they heard on that," Walder said.
Even advocates, who universally oppose any increase now, say keeping the unlimited card -- even at a higher price -- would show the MTA is at least listening.
"It's bittersweet. A $15 increase is a lot of money. It's $180 a year that people are going to have to dig deeper into their pockets," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign.
Riders, meanwhile, say paying more will force them to cut corners.
"I mean that's lunch, or a cab ride home at night. Or, you know, Starbucks or something during the day," said transit rider Dani Axelrod.
"There's people without work trying to get around, trying to cut costs, taking public transportation as an environmental option and as a budget option," said transit rider Glenn Barton.
"Everybody's having to tighten up their belts at this time. They need to tighten their belt," said transit rider Ronald Matthials.
As much as riders like to blame the MTA for what they see as waste and inefficiency, advocates say they should point fingers elsewhere for this fare hike.
"We're already looking at $750 million in savings from some of the cuts they've made to their bureaucracy. So I think the MTA is really doing all that it can. And now it's up to the State Legislature to finally give our transit system the funding it needs to be sustainable," said Paul Steely White of the group Transportation Alternatives.
But with little hope of immediate help from Albany, the MTA says fare hikes are the only way to sustain the system.