MTA offers parking deals under new pilot program

PEARL RIVER, N.Y. (WABC) -- There are cheers for the MTA as there are no fare or toll hikes for next year as originally planned, at least for now.

There are now some sweet parking deals at some stations to encourage commuters to ditch their cars and take the train.

Metro North riders in Rockland and Orange counties could see some of the costs of their commuting coming back to them in a nice savings.

It's in MTA commuter lots like the one in Pearl River, where the railroad is hoping to attract new riders and recapture other riders lost in recent years by offering significant savings with a new parking plan.

"Anything they can do to get people to use more mass transit is great," said Tim Plagainos, a commuter.

Starting this fall with a new "12 for 1" parking permit, commuters will get the normal $235 annual permit for just $20 dollars. That's a 91% savings.

"That's a lot of money, that's a big savings because I pay that every year," said Carolyn Anderson, a commuter.

Daily meter parking fees will also be reduced from $2.75 a day to $1.25; that's a savings of 55%.

That's where Tim Plagainos will enjoy the savings.

"I only have a need to go two days a week," Plagainos said.

The plan would be offered at six Metro-North stations on the Port Jervis line and three stations on the Pascack Valley line in Rockland and Orange Counties, where commuters can find just over 2,600 permit spaces and over 1,000 meter spaces.

Others who commute every day and have a need for the longer permit will see the biggest savings.

"Seems like a no-brainer," one commuter said.

Others would like additional savings.

"I think they need to lower ticket prices instead of consistently increasing. They need to go over that than the parking," said Mary Delafuente, a commuter.

The new parking plan will begin November first as part of a pilot program which will last a year.

It's a year of savings that MTA officials hope will bring more riders back to these lines.