MTA board votes to keep base fare at $2.75, reduce bonuses

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The MTA board voted on fare hike proposals Wednesday, deciding to reduce multi-ride bonuses instead of raising the base fare to $3.

The cost of a single ride will stay $2.75, but monthly MetroCards will go up to $121 from $116.50. Weekly cards will increase by $1 to $32, while the 7-Day Express Bus Plus card will increase to $59.50.

The first two board members to speak said they prefer to increase the base fare to $3, citing MTA data that indicated the majority of riders use the bonus pay per ride and that the $3 fare raise would be the best deal.

The rare hikes are expected to take effect March 19.

The MTA has adhered to a schedule of biennial fare increases since 2009.

In 2013, the MTA reduced the planned hikes to 4 percent from the original 7.5 percent.