MTA Shelves Fare Hikes, but will Consider Toll Hikes Next Month

  For now, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has shelved increasing fares, but next month, the agency plans to vote on whether to raise tolls.

    Although the MTA remains $4.7 billion in debt, after conducting eight public hearings and received 2,100 public comments, the agency decided against raising the fares on subways and buses because so many riders are essential workers.

    While some essential workers drive, MTA Chair Pat Foye told NY1 that most of those workers can afford the costs of higher tolls.   

    "[Workers who drive] tend to be higher income people on average than the average subway or bus customer,” Foye said. “That's an average, that's not every customer.”

    Since May, subway service has been close from 1am to 5 am for overnight cleanings.

    Although reporters have asked Mayor Bill de Blasio whether 24-hour subways service would soon return to help News Yorkers get to the city’s 24/7 vaccination sites, the mayor said that the four-hour overnight cleanings would remain for riders’ safety.

     Foye explained that 24-hour subway service would not return until Gov. Andrew Cuomo declares the pandemic over.