New York City

Access-A-Ride users may have to pay more

November 26, 2018 By Christina Carrega Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Photo by Matt Artz via Unsplash
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New Yorkers with disabilities who depend on public transportation to get around the city may have to pay more to travel under a proposed MTA fare hike.

Currently, Access-A-Ride customers pay the same amount — $2.75 per ride — to board specially-equipped mini buses with ramps and lifts or sedans, as non-disabled straphangers.

With the proposed fare hike, disabled riders could face a 25-cent increase that “would negatively and disproportionately harm people with disabilities who use New York City’s Access-A-Ride system,” according to a letter obtained by The New York Daily News from 11 directors of advocacy organizations sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday with the MTA on the proposed hike.

MTA officials are weighing two ideas for subway and bus riders, according to a Nov. 15 press release. One option would keep the base fare the same but get rid of the bonus riders. Seven-day unlimited passes would go up by $1 to $33, while 30-day passes would go up by $6 to $127.

The other plan would raise the base fare up to $3 and boost the bonus to 10% and increase the price of seven-day passes to $33 and the price of 30-day passes to $126.25.

For express bus service, the base fare would either increase to $7.00 and with the bonus fare eliminated, or would increase to $7.25 while the bonus fare rose 10 percent.

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2 Comments

  1. Reporter1

    The last time I took the subway, I saw 7 people enter without paying their fare either by jumping the turnstile or running through an open emergency exit door. I guess those options are not available to people with disabilities.

  2. George Plagianos

    Well to increase the fair $0.25 to the current fair the $3 still a good deal people with disabilities.. With Access-A-Ride worker of friend of mine tells me it’s cost the city about $70 a person to sustain this valuable service.. As opposed to paying like $60 if you would travel from South Brooklyn to lower Manhattan.. MTA Access-A-Ride needs to expand the disability requirements to include people with non visible disabilities current like psychological panic attacks hyperventilating issues which I suffer from when riding trains underground and God forbid getting stuck in between the stations or worse yet underneath the river while traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan.. I received just right benefits 4 years ago now I’m off program.. and I’m now imobile for over 5 months currently in south Brooklyn..I can’t afford paying from 60 or $70 to go to Manhattan to my doctors appointments along and to 2 volunteer organizations I worked for many years.. since I’m not working and retired now SO..25 cents is a very low increase.. so far I missed 30 doctors appointments and 60 volunteer days these past 5 months. I’m now 68 stuck in Brooklyn…Of l were back on it l’d be willing to pay more and not have to pay 60 or $70 from South Brooklyn to my doctor’s appointments every time..So I can travel and be mobile again instead of staying home feeling hopeless and depressed.