Mar 3, 2008 8:58 am US/Eastern
Commuters Into Manhattan Hammered With Fare Hikes
Bridge And Tunnel Tolls, Subway And Railroad Fare All Raised
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
If you're heading into the city Monday, there's a good chance that you will have to pay more to get here.
Drivers who take the Port Authority's bridges and tunnels during the peak hours, such as the Lincoln, Holland and George Washington, will feel the most pain. Peak hour tolls are going up from $6 to $8 for motorists who drive into New York.
And while the base $2 subway fare is staying the same, the math gets a little tricky on unlimited and multi-ride cards.
For example, you'll no longer get a free ride for a $10 metrocard. The bonus, formerly $2, is now only a $1.74. Meaning you'll have money left on your metro card that's not enough to pay for an extra ride. You'll have to refill the card.
A seven day pass now costs a $1 more. A monthly metrocard is up $5 dollars.
"It's going to hurt everyone. They keep raising it and raising it and it's not going to help us out," said staphanger Paulie Kunz.
That monthly deal, said City Councilman Simcha Felder, is no deal at all for commuters who ride only during weekdays.
"You're offering a 30 day unlimited ride at a cost of $81. Actually you'll spend a lot less buying 21 fares for $73.
Call it part of the new math for transit riders, who in these inflationary times are seeing their personal budgets fall short.
On the Metro-North, a one-way trip from New Rochelle to Grand Central costs a quarter more at peak times - $6 more for a monthly pass.
For Long Island Railroad commuters, it's an average of a four percent hike. And PATH riders will pay $0.25 more for one way trips.
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