‘Draconian’ Fare Hikes Set to Hit MTA Riders

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is moving forward with plans for steep fare hikes and drastic service cuts in order to balance a $1.2 billion operating budget deficit.

At press time, the full board was expected to approve the cost-cutting measures.

"We don't have the power to do anything but raise fares or cut service," H. Dale Hemmerdinger, the chairman of the MTA, said at a board finance committee meeting on Monday. "We can't do anything else, but we don't want to do either of those things."

The plan affects all the services provided by the MTA, including New York City buses, subways, bridges, tunnels and commuter rail services such as the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North.  Fordham students who purchase MetroCards will now have to pay $2.50 for the base fare, up from $2.  With the Pay-Per-Ride bonus on buying multiple rides at once, the actual price of each ride comes to $2.17.  Students who buy monthly unlimited cards will have to shell out an extra $25 on top of the $81 they currently pay.

Some Fordham students say it seems like an extra burden on top of an already unstable economy.   

"Being a commuter, it digs into an already small college-student budget," Juan Sanchez, CBA '12, said.  "We're already in a recession; I just don't see the point."