November 20, 2008
MTA plans 23 pct fare hike, end of W/Z lines, bus cuts
Facing a dire economic forecast the MTA today said it plans to fill a $1.2 billion budget gap by raising fares 23 percent next year, completely killing off the W and Z subway lines, canceling dozens of entire bus lines citywide and eliminating at least 2,500 jobs.
The way to stave off the pain is for the state to allocate more money by March, officials told NY1. Otherwise the cuts and hikes will start in spring and summer.
The precise amount of any MetroCard hike has not been announced, but the MTA wants an overall increase of fare revenues of 23 percent next year to bring in $670 million, according to the MTA statement. Come 2011, it will need an extra 5 percent, according to the NY Times.
The base MetroCard is $2 per ride. The most recent fare hike, in February, left the $2 fare in tact but decreased the bonus for buying multi-use cards.
Hearings on the proposals will start in January, service cuts could start in spring and the fare hikes could start June 1, NY1 reported.
Other humdingers from the MTA’s proposed budget for 2009:
- Paratransit fares will increase to twice the regular transit base fare, as allowable by law and consistent with other bus agencies, and express bus fares will increase from $5.00 to $7.50.
- The plan also increases Long Island Bus fares by 20% over and above the general proposed fare increase in the absence of additional support from Nassau County.
- Route modifications – shorten G, operate N via Manhattan Bridge late nights, eliminate W and extend Q to Astoria, operate M to Broad rush hours, eliminate Z, add J local service.
- Increased headways and loading guidelines during non-rush hours – headways increase from 8 to 10 minutes on ADEFGJMNQR on Saturdays and the ADEFGNQR on Sundays; headways increase from 20 to 30 minutes from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- At Bridges and Tunnels: Reduce facility security and truck weight enforcement personnel.
Among those hating on the plan is Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz who said there are plenty of alternatives to waiting on money form Albany, cutting service or fare hikes. “These include bringing back a commuter tax, which could bring in a minimum of $500 million annually; instituting a special state lottery, possibly a jackpot game drawn on Mondays, with proceeds dedicated to transportation throughout the State; increasing the surcharge fee for car registration within New York City and imposing a surcharge on car registrations within all counties inside the MTA district (including those upstate and on Long Island), with revenues dedicated to mass transit; and imposing a modest tax, in addition to the existing state gasoline tax in the metropolitan region, with revenues going to mass transit,” he said in a statement issued by his office this afternoon.
Also see HaltTheHike.org.
Picture credit: 14th Street subway station. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
Earlier: MetroCard fare increase, bridge tolls on the table
November 20, 2008 1:10 PM in Transportology
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