MTR 132, Free Bus-Subway Transfers: A Good First Step

Mobilizing the Region
Issue 132 June 27, 1997

Free Bus-Subway Transfers: A Good First Step

This week, the Straphangers Campaign, Environmental Defense Fund, the New York Urban League, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and others called in a letter for the MTA to offer weekly and monthly transit passes. Saying that free bus-subway transfers, which will begin on July 4, are "only the beginning of offering transit discounts to metropolitan-area riders," the letter cites MTA estimates that an unlimited ride transit pass would generate at least 100 million new rides annually. The completion of the MetroCard electronic fare collection system ushers in the potential of a wide range of innovative fare policies for NYC Transit. The letter notes that fare passes would bring NYC's fare policies in line with those of other public transit systems in the United States and the world. Such a change "would result in less street traffic congestion, fewer road accidents, cleaner air and a better quality of life in New York City."

The first step in the direction of discounted trips will occur in January, when the MTA will sell a 11 trip MetroCard for the price of 10, meaning MetroCard users will pay $1.36 a trip. Beyond that, the MTA says weekly, monthly and family discount passes would cost it $400 million per year. Still, the MTA needs to begin estimating the potential ridership increases and other benefits a fare pass would bring, not just publicize its costs. Passes will encourage a much bigger ridership jump than free transfers, since transit access is already paid for by the rider. That could yield real congestion relief, a boon to business and the environment.

Monthly Transit Pass Costs: Other Cities

Atlanta $45

Boston $27

Dallas $30

Los Angeles $42

Source: Straphangers Campaign (212-349-6460)

Transit Ridership

# of subway riders in 1947: 2 billion

# of subway riders in 1996: 1.1 billion

An early supporter of boosting ridership with transit passes: Passes will increase mobility [and] increase commercial activity in this region. -- Richard Ravitch, former MTA Chair (1982)