LIRR commuters hit with 15% increase

Dan Glaun

The Metropolitan Transit Authority okayed a much-debated package of fare hikes last Wednesday, raising Long Island Rail Road prices up to 15.3 percent.

One way, round-trip and 10-trip tickets to and from Manhattan will see hikes of between 7.1 percent and 15.3 percent, while monthly and weekly passes will become 8 to 9 percent more expensive.

North Shore travelers will see 10 percent jump in single peak fares under the new plan, with all Zone 4 journeys – including from New Hyde Park, Merillon, Garden City, Mineola and Great Neck – costing $11 instead of $10.

And commuters purchasing monthly passes into the city will pay an addition $19, with the cost increasing to $242.

The Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council released a statement criticizing the increase and a lack of a passengers’ vote on the MTA board,

“By today’s Board vote, Long Island Rail Road riders are being hit with a substantial fare increase when many are struggling to make ends meet, and what is even more disturbing is that riders had no vote on these fare hikes.  

To deny millions of New Yorkers the right to a vote on the MTA board is a wrong that must be righted.  Whether it is service cuts, funding issues, ticket policies, or fares, riders deserve not only a seat at the board table but a vote as well,” said Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council chair Mark Epstein. “As the MTA maps out the future of mass transit in New York, we the riders must be heard and fully represented on the MTA board.  We currently have one rotating board member without voting rights among the three Councils, and now is the time to give our representative a vote.”

All MTA board members are appointed by the governor, with some recommended by stakeholders including county executives and commuter councils. Though the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council has a representative on the board, the representative does not have voting power.

The MTA also hiked subway prices for both single-fare MetroCards and multi-ride passes. And riders who prefer to toss their MetroCards after they are depleted may be in for some sticker shock – while refilling a MetroCard comes at no extra cost, there will be a $1 surcharge for new cards bought at a subway station.

Tolls will also rise. EZ Pass drivers will pay an additional 53 cents at most crossings, while those paying cash will pay an extra dollar.

The hikes came as the MTA approved its 2013 budget and four-year financial plan. The authority projects continued budget deficits but does not anticipate having to cut service to save money.

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