Walter Zullig, MNRCC Member
August 20, 2025
Good morning. My name is Walter Zullig and I am speaking as a member of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council, and as a long-time Westchester resident who travels regularly on Metro-North.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed fare and toll changes. First, while no one likes a fare increase, we support planned, moderate raises to keep the system running.
We appreciate the proposal to allow senior citizens and riders with disabilities to use their half fare discount for travel during the morning peak hours. PCAC has long advocated for this common-sense change.
However, many of us take issue with some of the fare policy changes put forward—namely, the proposal for both digital and paper tickets to auto activate and expire four hours after purchase. There are many scenarios in which riders need the flexibility to purchase a ticket in advance or change their travel plans, particularly if a train is delayed past the expiration time. How will customers get a refund for tickets that expire without having been used? And will the $10 refund charge be applied? Riders need clarification about how this policy would work in practice. For paper tickets, the four-hour expiration window will require riders to make numerous transactions and reduces flexibility. A limit of seven days would be more reasonable.
Similarly, I support the concept of an unlimited “Day Pass,” but believe that it should not be limited to one railroad. There should also be a longer-term round-trip option for people travelling across multiple days.
While many of the proposals on the table are good, it’s clear that more public outreach must be conducted. We’re confident that with ample discussion between riders, workers, and the MTA, we can settle on a fare collection system that works for everyone.