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Subway, bus fares will not increase until next year, MTA board member says

Monday, July 19, 2021

Subway, bus fares will not increase until next year

The MTA board decided to put the brakes on a pending fare hike to allow commuters to continue to recover from the pandemic.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Subway and bus fares will not go up until next year, an MTA board member announced Monday.

The MTA board decided to put the brakes on a pending fare hike to allow commuters to continue to recover from the pandemic.

"I don't think at this time and place raising fares on any New Yorkers is appropriate," MTA Board Member Larry Schwartz said. "At a time when we need to encourage increased ridership, raising fares does the opposite."

MTA tolls and fares generally increase every other year.

But while tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels increased in April, the MTA board postponed an expected fare hike until at least the summer, and it would not have gone into effect until November.

However, at Monday afternoon's MTA subcommittee meeting, Schwartz announced the subway and bus fares would not happen until next year.

"There's not going to be a fare hike in 2021, period," Schwartz said following the meeting.

The delayed fare hike applies to subways, buses and commuter rails like LIRR and Metro North. All will not see an increase in their base fare until next year.

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