Fare hikes, weed tax, congestion pricing and more MTA news

If you’re behind on your MTA news this week, no sweat (or judgments); from hiking fares, changing repair schedules on the G and L lines and a slew of new tax proposals from the Governor and Mayor to pay for improvements, a lot has happened this week in MTA-world:

Fare Hikes:

Facing a $1 billion deficit, on Wednesday, the MTA board voted to increase the price of monthly subway passes from $121 to $127 and weekly cards from $32 to $33 while eliminating the 5 percent bonuses for adding $5.50 or more to a card. LIRR and Metro-North riders will also see an approximate 4 percent increase in fares. Increases will start on April 21st of this year.

10 Point Plan: 

Who doesn’t remember the good ol’ dysfunctional days when Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo placed reverence on their mutual sleuthing? The two have apparently buried the hatchet to introduce a 10 point plan to fix the MTA. Spoiler alert: They want to tax future legal cannabis sales, internet purchases and introduce congestion pricing to charge drivers in Manhattan who drive south of 61st Street and funnel revenue to an MTA lockbox for improvments.

Metro Card Replacement?:

The MTA is introducing OMNY, a swipeless reader/metro card replacement that can read NFC chips found in credit and debit cards and cell phones. On May 1, the 4,5,6 subway will debut the readers at 16 stations between Atlantic Avenue and Grand Central. According to Gothamist: “The MTA has been working with Cubic, the same company that installed MetroCard readers throughout the subway system, and that helped develop the likes of London’s tap-as-you-go Oyster card.”

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