The New York City subway and bus fares have been raised to $3 for a full ten-cent increase since the last price hike in 2023.
With the new increase, the transit fare will have jumped 25 cents in just six years since 2019, when it stood at $2.75 a ride, per Gothamist.
“The MTA for years has found creative ways to avoid increasing the cost of a single ride to an even $3 as it contends with growing costs and inflation,” noted the outlet. “In 2017, the agency held the cost of a single ride at $2.75 but increased the cost of unlimited ride passes to make up the difference.”
“Transit officials also held the fare at $2.75 in 2019, and got rid of bonuses given to MetroCard users who loaded up their fare cards with cash value. Gov. Kathy Hochul paused a planned fare hike to $2.90 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic,” it added.
The recent price hike had been in the works long before openly socialist Zohran Mamdani became Mayor of New York, with the MTA board proposing and voting to increase the fare by four percent every two years due to raised operating costs.
NYC residents expressed frustration that fares will keep increasing as the years press on.
“I just know it’s gonna add up,” 23-year-old Mayan Crampton, who commutes to Manhattan from Hoboken, told the New York Post.
“It’s fucked,” said Phaedra Phaded, who commutes from Chinatown to Manhattan. “I don’t get paid enough for this. The hike is crazy.”
Another commuter, 41-year-old Seana Steele, said the MTA would be better served by adjusting the appropriation of funds.
“The MTA constantly misappropriates funds. Instead of installing new turnstiles, they could actually improve the service,” Steele said.
“They’re so concerned about people jumping the turnstile. If [rides] were more affordable and available to everyone, that wouldn’t be an issue,” Steele added.
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