\u201cI think folks are going to adapt pretty quickly,\u201d MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said\u00a0at a Dec. 19 Valley Stream news conference. “There\u2019s always going to be people who are uncomfortable with change, and we will do everything within our power to help them adapt to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new rates and policies take effect Jan.\u00a04. Here\u2019s what you need to know before heading out the door.<\/p>\n
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUNDLong Island commuters\u00a0will see\u00a0major changes in the new year, as the MTA, as part of its latest rate hike, introduces several new fare options and takes away some, too.The MTA’s latest rate hike will\u00a0drive up the cost of riding a train or bus, or of driving across a New York City bridge or tunnel.The forthcoming rate adjustment also includes the discontinuation of MetroCard sales and several new measures aimed at reducing fare evasion on the Long Island Rail Road. Most transit riders will pay more<\/p>\n
The MTA\u2019s latest rate hike aims to raise fare revenue by 4%, but some commuters will see their costs rise more.<\/p>\n
On the Long Island Rail Road, monthly and weekly tickets will rise by about 4.5%, and other ticket types will go up by as much as 8%.<\/p>\n
A monthly ticket between Hicksville and Penn Station will climb from $287 to $299.75. A one-way peak ticket from Ronkonkoma to Penn will increase $1, to $21.50.<\/p>\n
MTA officials have pointed out that, even with the latest rate increase, monthly LIRR tickets still cost less than they did in 2019. That\u2019s because the railroad reduced monthly ticket prices by 10% in 2022 to spur ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
On buses and subways, the cost of a single ride will reach $3, up from $2.90.<\/p>\n
Because the MetroCard is going away, so too is the weekly and monthly unlimited ride MetroCard. Taking its place is a program in which, after riders pay\u00a0for 12 trips in a seven-day period, all subsequent trips are free, meaning nobody will pay more than $35 in a week.<\/p>\n
While visiting the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, subway, bus and LIRR rider Michael Alexander noted the cost of his commute “goes up more frequently than my rent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one wants that,” Alexander, 38, of Manhattan, said.\u00a0“Obviously, there\u2019s a lot of improvements that can be made to all of the stations. There\u2019s a lot of aging going on. And it\u2019s hard to see more money going out of pocket and not the changes you expect to see on the other end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some will pay less<\/p>\n
The new fare plan also includes discounts for some riders, including on the LIRR.<\/p>\n
For the first time, the reduced fare program for seniors and riders with disabilities is being extended to morning peak hours. Also, the LIRR\u2019s Family Fare program, which allows children to ride for $1 when accompanied by a ticket-holding\u00a0adult, is being extended to include children up to age 17. It was previously limited to children up to 11 years old.<\/p>\n
Although the LIRR is discontinuing both its round trip and 10-trip tickets, it\u2019s offering new fare programs that it says could help some riders save more. After making 10 trips in a 14-day period, an 11th peak or off-peak ticket is free. And a new LIRR Day Pass will allow customers to take as many trips as they want in a day between two points for less than the cost of two one-way peak tickets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re going to have the ability to see even more of Long Island for a low fare,\u201d LIRR president Rob Free said. \u201cI think these are incremental steps to modernize our fare structure and make it much more simple for our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riders who prefer paper tickets will find additional conveniences using new ticket vending machines. The machines offer instructions in 10 languages, dispense change in bills up to $10, and\u00a0allow customers to scan a bar code on a used ticket to buy the same ticket again.<\/p>\n
Some of the most\u00a0significant changes coming to the LIRR\u2019s fare policy aim\u00a0to address the reality that many riders count on conductors never checking their tickets, thereby allowing them to ride\u00a0free.<\/p>\n
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