(NEW YORK, NY) — This past Tuesday I was forty minutes late to work because of a train delay. Yesterday, I was fifteen minutes late because I made the conscious decision to wait for the next train as the one in front of me was so crowded the doors wouldn’t shut. Shall I continue? Monday I was informed by a news alert that an escalator at the Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street E/M station malfunctioned, I get off at that station every day.
Still shaking. I heard a loud crash while I was coming up the escalator at 5thAv/53rd St and saw this right in front of me. Could’ve shredded someone’s foot. @MTA @NYCTSubway you are playing with people’s safety! @Gothamist pic.twitter.com/15YWne67ns
— lolitapop9 (@lolitapop9) February 25, 2019
Sometimes I wonder, as the train door bounces off my bag and the rest of my body intertwines with the people around me, is there enough oxygen for all of us? But seriously, most of the time I spend my commute shocked that I have to pay for it.
This past Wednesday the MTA, after taking those complaints into consideration, decided to raise the fare and take away the pay-per-ride bonus. Seems reasonable, right?
For us professionals who rely on the subway to get around the city each day, like most in the real estate industry, not only do we need to deal with constant delays, shutdowns, and crowded trains, starting April 21st we’ll have to pay more too. Monthly MetroCards will increase from $121 to $127 and weekly cards will rise from $32 to $33.
“It is painful in some areas, but it is fair and keeps us afloat financially,” said MTA Chairman, Fernando Ferrer.
The decision to rase fares comes after both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio agreed to support congestion pricing in midtown Manhattan as part of a sweeping overhaul of the MTA. The agency plans to reduce costs by consolidating back office functions, reducing vendor and contractor costs, and improving efficiency of capital projects.
We’ve seen dramatically improved performance of our system recently,” Ferrer said, “and in order to keep that up we are making major internal reforms, seeking additional recurring revenues from our state and city partners, and urging the legislature to pass the governor’s congestion pricing proposal.”
Sources:
