The final public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at the transit agency’s Brooklyn headquarters at 5 p.m. An earlier hearing was held at 10 a.m. Both are hybrid sessions, meaning riders can attend in person at 130 Livingston St. or join virtually via Zoom.
The plan would raise the base subway and bus fare from $2.90 to $3 in January.
Express bus riders would see a 25-cent increase per ride, while bridge and tunnel tolls could climb by 7.5%. Fares on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North could rise by more than 4%.
Transit advocates and riders have pushed back, warning the hikes would fall hardest on working-class New Yorkers.
“The poorest riders, the hardest workers who ride the most are the ones already bearing the greatest burden,” one opponent said at the first public hearing Tuesday. “And yet the MTA is considering squeezing another couple of cents out of them every time they ride.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber has argued that smaller, regular increases will help keep the system financially stable and prevent larger spikes in the future.
Those wishing to comment at Wednesday’s hearing must register in advance online or by calling the MTA’s Public Hearing Hotline at 646-252-6777. Speakers will be limited to two minutes.
Members of the public can also submit comments in writing, by mail, by phone or at select subway and commuter rail stations. The hearings will be livestreamed on the MTA’s website and YouTube channel.
