[NYC4Life]

5:25 PM
MTA Set To Hold First Public Hearings On New Fare Hikes
By: NY1 News

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials tonight will likely get an earful from riders, as the agency holds its first public hearing on proposed fare hikes.

Even though the agency has already implemented service cuts and layoffs, the MTA says the hikes are necessary to close its budget gap.

However, many riders say they are not happy with the idea of having to pay more for less.

"I think that it's a pretty decent price already and not to mention that they've been cutting back a lot of the lines, the service has been really unreliable, so maybe before they consider hiking up the prices they might want to make their customers a little bit happier,” said one rider.

“I don't agree with it,” said another. “I mean, the economy's bad right now, and seriously it shouldn't really go up right now."

Rider advocates are encouraging New Yorkers to come out to the hearings, saying their voices really do make a difference.

"You can't win it if you're not in it,” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. “Any chance that they'll adopt a smaller fare hike or a fare policy that you think is a good one, you've got to be there."

The MTA still hasn't decided how these fare hikes will hit.

Under one option, seven-day Metrocards would rise from $27 to $28, and would be limited to 22 rides. Another option would keep the weekly card unlimited, but raise the cost to $29.

For 30-day cards, the options are an increase from $89 to $99 for a card with a 90-trip cap, or $104 for unlimited rides.

Critics, including the city Transit Riders Advisory Committee, say the MTA should leave fares alone after implementing service cuts over the summer.

The MTA will hold a hearing in each borough.

Today's hearing is set for 6 o'clock at Cooper Union.

The hearings come as the MTA has implemented some new service cuts on the Long Island Rail Road.

Riders are dealing with some new service reductions this morning, as the agency implements the second round of budget related cuts.

New timetables are in effect for riders on several branches. Some trains have been eliminated altogether – including overnight scheduled service between Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Jamaica Station.

The Port Washington line, which has eight stops in Queens, is also hit particularly hard with 14 fewer trains on weekdays.

The MTA says the reductions will save almost a million dollars this year, and nearly $4 million annually starting next year.

For a full list of timetable changes, visit mta.info/lirr.

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