By Jacqueline Hlavenka
Straphangers swiping their Metrocards on Sunday may have noticed a change in their unlimited ride fares at 12:01 a.m. on March 2.
Part of the MTA’s plan to restructure fares and tolls across the five boroughs, the MTA operating agencies have raised fares on Unlimited Ride Metrocards in order to generate a 3.85 percent increase in revenue for the 2008 MTA budget, according to a statement from the MTA.
Despite the fare increases on Unlimited Ride Metrocards, the base fare of $2 remains the same.
Monthly Metrocards have jumped from $76 to $81, weekly from $24 to $25 and an all-day fun pass from $7 to $7.50. A new 14-day Metrocard will be available for $47.
However, commuters currently holding Unlimited Ride Metrocards can take advantage of a “grace period” that can be used after March 2.
Unlimited Ride Metrocards currently being used for travel will be valid for the full 7 or 30 days, even if some of those days are after the fare change. In an MTA statement, “The MTA and NYC Transit assure customers that, at a minimum, cards bought for normal, personal use will be valid for their full duration (1, 7 or 30 days) as long as the first day of travel is not later than March 10, 2008.”
Additionally, bonuses for the pay-per-ride Metrocard will rise by 15 percent, which is added by purchasing $7 or more.
“A $7 card with the bonus will actually have $8.05 value. Equaling four rides but will have a remaining balance of $0.05,” said the MTA in a statement. “Similarly, a $10 card will actually have $11.50 in value, or five rides, and a remaining value of $1.50 while a $20 card will have $23 in value and 11 rides with a leftover balance of $1.”
In these instances, riders are encouraged to refill the card to use up the remaining balance. According to the MTA, commuters can avoid leftover balances on pay-per-ride cards by purchasing a $10 card at a Metrocard vending machine, refill it three times at $10 each and get 23 rides and have no balance.
Locally, fares on the Long Island Rail Road went up 25-cents during peak and off-peak hours at Hempstead and Mineola stations.
“I go from here to Penn Station and Brooklyn to visit friends,” said Shira Anteby, a freshman biology major at the University. “The original price was too expensive at $12 round-trip, and the service is just okay.”
Another University student, Malaikah Choudhry, a senior political science major, has tried to cut down on her transportation costs by carpooling with friends.
“When I go into the city, I get a day pass,” Choudhry said, referring to the One-Day Fun Pass that recently went up by 50-cents. “Just last week, I went into the city with some friends and we drove in and split the cost between all of us. I usually never drive into the city, but it only cost $7 per person, in comparison to $12 on the LIRR.”
However, freshman physics major Rick Weiss thinks some good can come out of the increased fares.
“They [the MTA] are doing it to improve services and repair bridges,” Weiss said. “I’m upset the fares went up, but the money is going toward something, even if it’s something we might not see.”