NEW YORK (WABC) — If the MTA gets its way and moves forward with its plan to raise fares, New Yorkers will fork over $3 to ride the MTA’s buses and trains, beginning in 2026.<\/p>\n
The proposed increase would also make it more expensive to reach the MTA’s weekly fare cap, which makes rides free after the first 12 trips in a week. The cap would rise from 34 to 36 dollars.<\/p>\n
In addition to the fare hike plan, commuter rail line tickets will increase 4.4% and bridge tolls will rise by 7.5%, frustrating some commuters who live outside city limits.<\/p>\n
The MTA has consistently raised fares every other year, by roughly 4%, since 2009. An exception happened in 2021 when Gov. Kathy Hochel froze fares after the pandemic eroded ridership.<\/p>\n
Eyewitness News spoke with commuters to hear their takes on the proposed increases.<\/p>\n
“Too much money. The average person can’t afford what the fare is now, jumping the turnstiles, so that’s definitely too much,” one woman told Eyewitness News. “Weekend service is horrible … the homelessness on the train, the worrying about crime, yeah, no good.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t think that the fare should be raised any higher. I mean, people are struggling, you know, they’re trying to make ends meet, and now they’re talking about raising the fare again. It seems like they just raised the fare,” another commuter reacted. “Enough is enough.”<\/p>\n
Local politicians have also weighed in on the MTA’s proposed fare hikes.<\/p>\n
Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for reelection, said previously that he didn’t support the fare increases.<\/p>\n
Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has gone even further in proposing free bus rides for New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
Beyond city limits, Rockland County Executive Ed Day is calling for the MTA to immediately withdraw its proposed Metro-North fare increases for West of Hudson commuters, calling them “wholly unjustifiable.”<\/p>\n
“Our residents already face a value gap exceeding $40 million every year — paying far more into the system than they receive — while enduring inadequate, infrequent rail service and chronic underinvestment,” Day said.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday night, New Yorkers who want their voices heard can head to the NYPD Transit Bureau at 130 Livingston Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn to participate in the first of three public hearings on the proposed rate hikes.<\/p>\n
The MTA also says [url HREF=”https:\/\/www.mta.info\/transparency\/public-hearings\/2025-fare-changes” TARGET=”_blank” REL=”nofollow”]the public can submit comments online, or via mail, or by calling (646) 252-6777[\/url] from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.<\/p>\n
Want to participate in person or remotely? The three meeting times are as follows:<\/p>\n
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
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