The MTA will probably raise the $2.25 base fare in the next round of fare hikes, which will minimize the impact on popular unlimited MetroCards and the bonus that comes with all pay-per-ride cards, the agency’s chief said yesterday.
“We need to try and keep the raises to an absolute minimum. That means . . . we need to make sure the 30-day fare card, the seven-day fare card or the bonus card is reduced [for riders] as much as possible,” said MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota (above).
The vast majority — 85 percent — of subway trips are made on unlimited-ride or discounted cards, thanks to the 7 percent bonus given to pay-per-ride purchases exceeding $10.
The other 15 percent are made on MetroCard purchases of less than $10 — which receive no discount — or on single-ride tickets, which currently cost $2.50 and include no bus transfer.
The nondiscounted rates are used most often by tourists and infrequent riders, said Lhota.
Two of the four fare-hike plans released last week include a higher base rate of $2.50 as well as a single-ride ticket price of $2.75.
One of those plans features a $112 monthly MetroCard and a $30 weekly card.
It also would keep the bonus for pay-per-ride MetroCard plans at the current rate of 7 percent for purchases over $10.
The other plan with the higher base rate includes a $109 monthly MetroCard and a $29 seven-day pass and would ax the discount on pay-per-ride purchases.
Lhota also said the final fare-hike plan could be a hybrid of those that have been released.
The current cost for a monthly MetroCard is $104 and $29 for a weekly card.
The MTA’s board will decide the amount of the fare hikes.