Rider Advocacy Group Highlights Five Impactful Inexpensive Investments for Financial Relief for New Yorkers
New York- In advance of Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget, the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) released Rider-First Fare Payment: On Track Towards More Equitable Access to Affordable Transit, detailing five fare policies aimed at achieving that goal. The report is particularly timely as congestion pricing comes online and before the MTA’s planned fare changes next year. With affordability being top of mind for so many New Yorkers, the actionable recommendations can deliver immediate financial relief to hundreds of thousand of transit riders who need better mobility options.
Underpinning the recommendations is the objective of creating a fair, simple, and rational fare system that keeps ticket prices affordable and easy to understand, a goal complicated by the MTA’s reliance on fares and tolls to cover almost forty percent of their day-to-day operations. To complement fare improvements, the report details fare and non-fare actions to be taken internally by the MTA and legislatively in Albany.
“Transit is the gateway to opportunity and financial stability for so many New Yorkers and their families who are currently struggling,” said Lisa Daglian, Executive Director, PCAC. “We believe our targeted proposals have modest price tags but will lead to major benefits for riders as they navigate the region for better employment opportunities, education, needed healthcare, and just to have fun. The time for action is now, as we anticipate the launch of Congestion Pricing and a scheduled fare increase next year. We strongly urge the New York State Legislature and Governor Hochul—who has again proven herself to be a transit champion by averting the MTA’s fiscal cliff and unpausing Congestion Pricing—to run with these initiatives in the next state budget.”
The report also builds on recommendations PCAC made for improving the MTA’s fare policy in its report entitled Integrate, Simplify, and OMNYvate: On Track for Better MTA Fare Payment, which examined opportunities for enhancing the rider experience with the anticipated roll-out of the One Metro New York – OMNY – payment system throughout the MTA and region.
To complement the report, PCAC also released their “Rider-First Fare Agenda” outlining five specific proposals that support more equitable access to affordable transit for more New Yorkers, particularly those in subway deserts:
- Introduce A.M. peak discounts for senior, disabled, and Medicare-eligible riders: Seniors, disabled, and Medicare-eligible riders cannot use their discounts in the A.M. peak period on the LIRR and Metro-North, anywhere in the system. This makes no sense – particularly given that they can use the discount in the P.M. peak period. This creates unnecessary hurdles for transit-dependent groups and obstacles to employment and opportunity. Suggested Funding Source: MTA | Cost: $5-$10 million
- Close the ‘mid-kid’ gap by creating a Family Fare for the LIRR and Metro-North: While children between the ages of five and 11 can ride the LIRR and Metro-North for one dollar with a paying adult, no discount at all is offered for twelve- to seventeen-year-olds, making transit an expensive alternative to driving for families with older children. Offering reduced fares for ‘mid-kids’ traveling with an adult would make taking the train a more affordable option for families. Suggested Funding Source: New York State | Cost: Dependent on exact discount
- Create a weekly CityTicket with transfers to New York City Transit: The CityTicket is a single-ride railroad ticket offered on LIRR and Metro-North Railroad trips within New York City. According to the MTA, 1.5 million CityTickets were sold in 2023. PCAC recommends investing Outer Borough Transportation Account (OBTA) funds to introduce a weekly CityTicket that includes optional discounted transfers to New York City Transit subways and buses. Suggested Funding Source: Outer Borough Transportation Account |Cost for CityTicket Weekly: $25 million; with free transfers to NYCT: $40-50 million
- Expand Fair Fares to the commuter railroads within New York City: Fair Fares is an income-based half fare program for New York City residents at or below 145% of the Federal Poverty Level, but only on New York City Transit. Many eligible riders live in subway deserts but close to either the LIRR or Metro-North stations. PCAC analysis found that 70% of the city’s 39 railroad stations are adjacent to census tracts where over 25% of residents are eligible for Fair Fares. New York City is one of two large cities not to offer income-based fares on its commuter rails, despite having the highest poverty rate of cities surveyed. Fair Fares on the railroads, when discounted from the price of a CityTicket, would increase access to opportunity for tens of thousands of New Yorkers. Suggested Funding Source: New York City | Cost: $30-$35 million
- Expand Fair Fares to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level: New York City’s Fair Fares program provides half-fares to New York City residents living at or below 145% of the Federal Poverty Level. Most minimum wage workers currently do not qualify. PCAC analysis found that among the top ten U.S. most populous cities with similar programs, New York City has the highest poverty rate and lowest eligibility threshold. Expansion to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level would bring eligibility to as many as 450,000 more New Yorkers. The vast majority of minimum wage workers are ineligible at the current eligibility threshold of 145% of FPL. Suggested Funding Source: New York City | Cost: $36-$40 million (source: Community Service Society)
About PCAC:
Created by the New York State Legislature in 1981, the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) represents transit and commuter rail riders in the 12-county MTA region. PCAC regularly researches issues, recommends viable solutions, and advocates on behalf of the region’s subway, bus and Staten Island Railway riders, and Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad commuters through its three rider councils – the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council (LIRRCC), the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC), and the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC). These councils and their non-voting MTA Board members were created to serve as a voice for users of the MTA system in the development and implementation of policy, and to hold the MTA Board and management accountable to riders.