Access-A-Ride users may have to pay more
Photo by Matt Artz via Unsplash
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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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.
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.