Riders, get ready to start shelling out $104 for a monthly MetroCard. The silver lining, though: The monthly unlimited cards, one of the MTA’s most popular fare options, will indeed remain unlimited.
The MTA will likely abandon their suggestion to cap a $99 monthly card at 90 rides, said MTA board members who have the ultimate vote on how to raise the fare.
“The interest at the moment is having an uncapped option,” said board member Mitchell Pally. “We heard from people that price is important, but more than price was the option for uncapped.”
Now that public hearings, where many New Yorkers testified to keep MetroCards unlimited, are over, MTA Chairman Jay Walder will consult with board members, said Pally. The MTA will come out with a fare hike recommendation in October, he said, and the board will vote on it on Oct. 7.
“An unlimited card was so overwhelmingly the favorite that that’s the way they’re going to go,” said board member Andrew Albert, who does not have a vote. “I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t.”
Board member Allan Cappelli said he was surprised New Yorkers chose unlimited rides over saving $5 a month.
“I went into this thinking that capping the monthlies would save New Yorkers a few bucks,” said Cappelli. “But … riders want the luxury to take five, ten rides a day. Transit freedom has become part of the culture of New York City.”
