MTA to launch fare pilot program

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Feb. 28 will begin a pilot fare program to encourage riders to return to New York City’s transit system.

For New York City Transit (NYCT) riders, fare will be capped at $33 per week for those paying with the OMNY contactless payment system. Riders will be charged the standard $2.75 per ride beginning each Monday, but after 12 trips fare will be free through the following Sunday. A seven-day unlimited MetroCard also costs $33 a week.

For MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and MTA Metro-North Railroad riders, a new 20-trip ticket will offer a 20% discount on comparable 20 peak one-way fares when purchased through MTA eTix or at a ticket window. Tickets are valid for 60 days after purchase. Monthly tickets will be discounted 48-61% of the price of a comparable number of one-way peak tickets, which will also be discounted 10%.

Plus, CityTicket, which offers reduced fare for weekend rail travel, will also be extended to weekday off-peak trains for $5 per ride. That’s a 31% discount from Metro-North’s current weekday fare of $7.25 and also a 35% discount from LIRR’s current weekday fare of $7.75. However, CityTicket is only valid at 15 Metro-North stations and 21 LIRR stations.

"We’ve made it a priority to get creative on fares," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber in a press release. "Transit affordability is also an equity issue, and we are committed to providing a wide range of new discounts, while ensuring the MTA maintains a solid bottom line."

MTA will monitor the pilot program’s impact on operations, ridership and revenue with the possibility of program structures becoming permanent, MTA officials said.