NYC’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to raise subway fares today.
From the New York Times:
The base subway and bus fare will remain $2, but an overwhelming majority of riders — who use unlimited-ride MetroCards or get a discount for buying multiple rides at once — will have to pay more, starting on March 2. The costs of unlimited-ride cards will rise to $81 from $76 for the 30-day card and to $25 from $24 for the 7-day card; a new 14-day card will be sold for $47.
The bonus for regular pay-per-ride cards will be reduced to 15 percent from 20 percent, but the threshold for receiving the bonus will also be reduced, to $7 from $10. With the bonuses in place, the average cost of a bonus ride will rise to $1.74 from $1.67. The express bus fare ($5) and the cost of a 7-day express bus pass ($41) remain unchanged.
The MTA says the fare increase is necessary because they’re facing a billion-dollar deficit.
Board Approves Subway and Bus Fare Increase [NYT]
(Photo:Maulleigh)
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@slothrob: Silly, those guys are trying to replace their diamond shoes, because the current ones pinch!
I find it particularly poignant that this week, my train has been slower and more crowded than pretty much any other time this year.
At the same time, I feel grateful to not have to own a car.
@ErnieMcCracken: that’s because you don’t have as many people using the service each day.
@theninjasquad: “That’s a bargain, I wouldn’t be complaining at that price. For unlimited usage, its still a hell of a lot cheaper then owning a car. Things have to go up in price at some point, that’s reality.”
not having to own a car is one way we justify the high nyc rents.
@ediebeale:
Amen!
@Stan LS: Ah, where to begin… So the average subway or bus operator driver) starts at $52,644 and the average pay for that position is $63,000 per year. That doesn’t seem like a ridiculous upswing to me — it’s a hefty starting salary but it doesn’t seem to increase that dramatically.*
Here’s the NYPD salary webpage: [www.nypd2.org] According to that, after 5.5 years officers earn $59,588 with 27 vacation days per year (not including overtime, night shift pay, etc; the site says that after 6 years average earnings are $77,000). So your pay basically more than doubles in less than 6 years. That seems like a considerable increase, wouldn’t you say?
So for comparison, the average overall pay for all operators is around $63,000, while after six years an officer gets about $77,000 (and presumably continues to increase afterwards). If the starting pay for an operator is $52,644 and the average is $63,000, it’s not hard to figure out that your pay rarely tops out above what, $74,000, ever in your entire career? (I’m no statistician and I’m sure someone can figure out the numerical analysis, but you see my point I hope.) And that’s for the OPERATORS, the people who actually drive the buses and trains and make sure that their vehicles don’t kill hundreds of people and/or completely shut down the subway system in a crash.
Now I’m not saying that the police are overpaid, simply that your claim comparing MTA employess to the police is entirely baseless.
And to your “blah blah blah…” about six-figure janitors, please stop being ridiculous. As you yourself noted, subway cleaners make about $40,000. Not a princely sum in this expensive city, and these are the people who deal with all sorts of bodily fluids that nobody should ever have to meet.
*Fun bonus fact: The New York Times Op-Ed you cite for your figures was written by Nicole Gelinas, a writer and contributor to NYC’s very own super-conservative think tank “Manhattan Institute.” Their website currently boasts a delightfully-titled piece called “Stop the Black KKK.” I realize this is off-topic and doesn’t directly address your points, but forgive me if I express skepticism of Ms. Gelinas’ view of the facts.
@CaffeinatedSquint: @oneTee: I posted this because it affects millions of people, unlike say, the 200 people in Oregon who have complained about not getting their kicker refund, for example.
It was not posted simply because I live in New York. I’m not a NYC native; I’m from Illinois. As much as it pains me, I do have to cover things that happen in NYC.
Editorial suggestions (other fare hikes, in other cities for example) can be emailed to tips@consumerist.com.
@SOCRATES82
Yes, we have busses. They are extra long hummers. LOL
@Beerad:
“(not including overtime, night shift pay, etc; the site says that after 6 years average earnings are $77,000).” Not including? Huh? Your link clearly states
“When including base salary, average overtime and night shift differential, holiday pay, and uniform allowance, a Police Officer earns over $35,000, on average, in the first year; $45,000, on average, in the second year; $77,000, on average, after 6 years”
All that stuff is included in the $77k figure. If you include overtime for the operators then they are basically making the same $. Conductors? Slightly less. Compare the dangers and responsiblities between the two.
By the way, I think $77k that’s pretty much the ceiling for a regular police officer, to move up, yould have to become a detective or lieutenant. Also note, that cops are required to either have 60 college credits or 2 years of active military experience. What’s the requirement for an MTA worker?
“about six-figure janitors, please stop being ridiculous” Hey man, you are the one being ridiculous with your “in charge of making sure people don’t get crushed to death” shpiel. That’s laughable. The guy outside my office building is throwing salt on the sidewalk right now, he’s responsible for preventing people from incurring injuries. Why not give him $50k and a retirement after 20 years.
As for Nicole Gelinas, no where did I ask you to consider her “views”, I merely pointed you to the facts presented. NY Times does have an editor and fact checkers you know. as for the “Stop the black KKK”, you just made a fool of yourself. I suggest you read the article. Here’s a sample:
“But the tacit assumption would appear to be that the staggeringly high murder rate among young black men these days is just the way it is. Mr. Whitlock calls these murders the Black KKK. “
Mr. Whitlock is a black columnist.
* Fun bonus fact, MTA workers get 25 days of vacation after 8 years.
[benefits.nyct.com]
There’s 200 people in Oregon?
@Stan LS: Average pay for operators (including overtime, etc. over all years) is $63,000, ever, compared with $77,000 for a six-year officer (including those things as well). Sorry if that was unclear by my wording. That’s all that bears responding to.
Well, ok. The conductors are still getting too much. These people should be paid at the market rate.
I wish they would raise the damn fairs in Philadelphia too. Im sick of paying increased taxes to support a money pit that I dont even use just because “they cant raise the fairs because the majority of people who use public transportation cant afford it or wont use it if they do” Im sick of subsidizing other people’s transportation. If I dont have enough money to fill my gas tank nobody is gonna bail ME out. Mass transit is a crappy way to travel anyway as it takes 2 hours to go somewhere that I can drive in 30 minutes.
@scampy: Who do you think pays for the construction and maintenance of the roads you drive on?
@peteynice:
People who buy gas and pay gas tax, and pay tolls pay for maintenance of roads, NOT the people bitching about the cost of the city bus going up from 1.50 to 1.75
@scampy: Fail. Everyone contributes to their state DOT for those projects through their taxes not to mention the federal money that states get for road projects as well. So yes, the “people bitching about the cost of the city bus going up from 1.50 to 1.75″ do subsidize the roads you drive on just like you subsidize the buses and trains they ride on.
@kimsama: There was talk of them having “Smartrip Express Lanes” in the metro stations too — that would be a great improvement.
I don’t know where you’re parking in the city for $10/day — it’s $15/day in my building and that’s the cheapest around…
The reason that WMATA switched to Smartrip only in the parking lots was that Metro employees were stealing cash from the registers, I believe. Not that it makes it any better. And at least $5/day for parking in the burbs is still a below market price. If it’s cheaper to drive for someone, they should drive!
That’s the funny thing about DC is that there is often not that much traffic for those of us who live in the city — all the mayhem is out in MD/VA
@scampy:
Just as an FYI, gas taxes don’t BEGIN to cover the true cost of gas – add in $200BN or more per year for the military force dedicated to securing our access to oil, and then you start getting a better picture of the cost.
@RagingBoehner: There are already some Smartrip Express Lanes – I know there are a few out in Fairfax, and in some of the closer in VA stations. Also, there’s a proposal on the table to combine driver’s licenses and Smartrips into one card, and while I’m sure some will balk at the idea of putting RFID chips into MORE government-issued IDs, I myself think it’s pretty cool.
@snazz: I still see incentive to buy the monthly. If you take just a few rides on the weekend (or really anything in addition to commuting), it again becomes cheaper to have the monthly.
Personally, I love the unlimited ride cards. Not having to worry about exactly how many rides I’m taking is completely worth it.