You’ll soon be paying more to ride the MTA’s buses and trains.
The MTA board has approved a planned fare hike. The base fare remains at $2.75, but the agency is getting rid of the 5 percent pay per ride bonus.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro North fares will go up by about four percent, while tolls at the bridges and tunnels will increase by about the same amount. The cost of a 7-day and 30-day MetroCard is also going up.
The toll hike goes into effect on March 31st, while the fare increase takes effect on April 21st.
The vote to increase fares comes after Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a 10-point plan to fix the MTA. The centerpiece is a congestion pricing plan, which would charge drivers for traveling below 60th Street in Manhattan. That additional money would be used to repair and upgrade the subway system. Mayor de Blasio threw his support behind the plan after previously backing a millionaire's tax to fix the subways.
The plan also calls for a restructuring of the MTA and it allocates some sales tax money from recreational marijuana to the MTA, once the New York State legislature legalizes marijuana.
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