NY Times: M.T.A. Is Set to Approve Higher Fares and Service Cuts

[marmar]

M.T.A. Is Set to Approve Higher Fares and Service Cuts

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: March 23, 2009


The base subway and bus fare in New York City would rise to $2.50, up from $2. A 30-day MetroCard would cost $103, up from $81. A monthly ticket on the Long Island Rail Road for a commuter who travels between Ronkonkoma and Pennsylvania Station would increase to $352, up from $278.

These are some of the fares that New Yorkers would pay under a drastic proposal that is expected to be approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday.

And those higher fares will buy even less: the authority’s board is also expected to approve deep service cuts.

The proposal — which also includes higher tolls on the authority’s bridges and tunnels — was approved on Monday by the board’s finance committee, whose members said they were forced to act because the State Legislature had not passed a financial rescue package.

“We’re going to vote the fare hikes,” said H. Dale Hemmerdinger, the authority chairman, referring to Wednesday’s board meeting. “It’s very painful to everybody who uses the system.” He called the service cuts “horrific.”

Asked whether he had a message for lawmakers in Albany, Mr. Hemmerdinger said, with his voice cracking slightly: “How about just, ‘Help.’ ” .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/nyregion/24mta.html?hpw

[KamaAina]

1. Three and a half bucks for a *bus ride*?!

Among the hardest hit are riders of Long Island Bus, which primarily serves Nassau County, where a single ride would cost $3.50, up from $2. And riders would no longer be able to use unlimited-ride MetroCards.

That's obscene! All of Nassau County is not the posh North Shore or Five Towns area. There are places in Nassau like Freeport with lots of poor people, many of them African Americans, who use transit. And by no means all of them live within walking distance of the "Wrong Island Fail Road".