Recently, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) held a public hearing to discuss fare increases with the public. According to the proposal put forth by MTA, starting from January 1, 2026, the fare for New York City subway and bus rides will increase from the current $2.9 to $3.0.
In addition, the toll for express buses will go up by 25 cents per trip, and bridge and tunnel tolls may increase by 7.5%. Prices for Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad could also be raised by over 4%.
During the hearing, transportation advocates and passengers voiced their opposition and cautioned that the fare hike would disproportionately impact the working class in New York.
One opponent stated, “The poorest, the hardest-working, those who rely on public transportation the most, are already shouldering the heaviest burden. Yet, MTA is thinking of squeezing a few more cents out of them each time they ride.”
Another critic expressed, “Flooding, sudden emergency stops, power outages – these things always happen. And you expect me to pay more for these mishaps?… You can’t even see what’s really happening inside the subway…”
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa appeared at the MTA meeting on Tuesday (August 19) to voice his opposition to the fare hike plan.
“I am the only candidate protesting against the MTA fare hike,” he stated on X platform. “As mayor, we will fight for lower fares, a safe subway system, and better service.”
MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber argued that incremental, periodic fare increases would help maintain the financial stability of the system and prevent larger fare hikes in the future.