Board member Barry Feinstein told reporters that booming usage of discount MetroCards might be too much of a good thing. Neither he nor an MTA spokesperson would rule out increasing the price of weekly and monthly MetroCards last week.

Last week, Governor Pataki also said he couldn’t rule out fare increases for the discounted MetroCards. A television report (see MTR #452) said the governor and MTA are considering $3 increases in the cost of weekly and monthly NYC Transit fare cards, as well as service cuts on subway lines such as the M, V, J, Z, G and C trains.

The MetroCard fare increase would bring in an estimated $500 million. The rest of NYC Transit’s operating budget deficit — nearly $800 million — would be closed by the service cuts.

The story cited Governor Pataki as saying: "I don't want to hold out any promises that we're going to find additional resources from what we have already allocated because the state does face its own financial difficulties."

81% of city bus and subway riders are using some form of discounted MetroCard, up from 73% a year ago. 25% now use the 30-day card, which offers the most significant discount. The MTA apparently under-predicted the extent to which last year’s fare increase would drive sales of discounted fares. Newsday and the NY Post said the MTA was counting on average fares of $1.30 this year, but are instead collecting $1.24 per ride.