Beginning Feb. 4, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will hold 10 town hall meetings in the five boroughs. The meetings are likely to raise intense discussions, because the topics include many subjects closely related to the subway issue. It includes proposals to increase the subway fare by 50 cents, to close down 24-hour and temporary token booths, and to eliminate tokens (which were used for the past 50 years).
According to the report in the Daily News, subways and bus fares will be increased to $2 as early as April. Because the MTA is facing an $11 million deficit this year, and as high as a $17 million deficit next year, it says it has no choice but to explore options to increase revenues.
With the gubernatorial election and the threat of a transit strike over, the debates about finances are now underway. Because the topics to be discussed at the town hall meetings cover a wide range of issues, and they will have a significant impact on commuters, it is expected that many groups will attend the meetings to oppose the MTA.
The primary issue on the table is the fare increase. There hasn’t been an increase since 1995. This proposal from the MTA would increase the fares by 33 percent—to $2 per ride. As for metro cards, the weekly pass would increase from $17 to $20, the monthly pass would increase from $63 to $84, and the one-day Fun Pass would increase from $4 to $7. The MTA is also considering increasing Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North fares as well as bridge tolls.
Another proposal, already opposed by unions, is the closure of 49 24-hour and 126 temporary token booths. The MTA first proposed the closure in 2001, but it was met with opposition from different groups. Chinatown community activists Chen Shao Man and Li Zhong Bo joined the opposition then. Many people worry that safety would be compromised without token booths attendants, including the possibility of inability to call for help in an emergency or robbery.
The MTA’s proposal to shut down specific token booths includes ones in subway stations that Chinese often use, which are the 7 train at 74th Street, the 1 and 9 trains at Canal Street, and the F train at East Broadway and Delancey Street. The MTA will probably close these token booths gradually from July to December.
The MTA also wants to eliminate tokens, which have been in use for 50 years . This will allow the closure of token booths. The subway token was first introduced in 1957, when it was worth 15 cents. In 1994, the MTA introduced the metrocard. It was unpopular, as many people doubted the thin plastic card. However, after nearly 10 years of campaigns and different discounts, the metrocard became the most common way for riders to use the subway and public buses. According to the MTA statistics, only 9 percent of the riders used tokens last October. The rest used metrocards. The MTA said that it hoped that after the elimination of tokens, some subway stations would be open 24 hours.
