The MTA board yesterday approved an across-the-board 10 percent fare hike, and set out a timetable for implementing the increases, less than a week after the agency got a $2.3 billion-a-year bailout from state lawmakers.
Fares would have skyrocketed 23 percent without the state funds, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials have said.
On June 28, a single ride will jump a quarter to $2.25, a one-day unlimited pass will cost $8.25, a weekly pass will be $27, a 14-day pass will cost $51.50 and a 30-day card will cost $89.
Riders will also pay $8, up from $7, to get a 15 percent bonus on pay-per-ride MetroCards.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North riders will pay between 9.75 percent and 10.75 percent more, depending on their destination, starting June 17.
And on July 12, most bridge and tunnel cash tolls will jump 50 cents, to $5.50.
The board approved the new fares in an 11-2 vote, with correction-officers union chief Norman Seabrook and four suburban board members, who together count as one vote, bucking the measure.
Unlimited MetroCard users will also get a grace period for using cards bought under the old rate, said NYC Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges. He declined to say what that grace period would be.
But riders aren’t out of the woods.
In his final meeting as head of the agency, outgoing MTA chief Elliot Sander said he wouldn’t rule out another fare hike between now and 2011 if the economy doesn’t get stronger.
MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger, who said he doesn’t expect to be reappointed by Gov. Paterson, explained that the agency hopes to keep fares the same until the 7.5 percent increase planned for 2011.
“Can you predict the future? Can we predict the future? No. We’d like it to hold, and we’ll do every thing we can to make it hold,” he said.
After lobbying lawmakers for months, the state came through with just over $1 billion for 2009 and $2.3 billion a year thereafter in taxes and new fees, including a 50-cent taxi surcharge and increases in driver’s-license fees, registration renewals and car-rental taxes.
Union officials and transit advocates panned the cutbacks in the plan, which will remove 600 station agents and 86 track cleaners through attrition as a way to close a $200 million gap that remains in the MTA’s budget.
“I’ve had people come from the street seeking help,” said Andreeva Pinder, an official at TWU Local 100 and a station agent. “What in the hell are you thinking about?”