MTA officials said on Wednesday that subway and bus fares will likely not increase until January 2026.
The increase is expected to jump from $2.90 to $3 for subway and bus rides. A 12-trip base fare cap will increase from $34 to $36.
Meanwhile, express buses are likely to increase by a quarter to $7.25 per ride, but features an extra perk, according to Jessie Lazarus, the MTA’s deputy chief of commercial ventures.
“I’m excited to tell you about a second deployment of our fare cap tool,” she said during the MTA’s monthly board meeting on July 30. “We want to introduce a new fare cap for express bus customers. Starting in January with these proposals, express bus riders would never pay more than $67 in any 7-day period.”
Riders would receive unlimited express bus, local bus and subway rides without prepaying.
With the MetroCard set to go the way of the dodo this December, the agency is also retiring the all 7-day, 30-day and Express Bus Plus unlimited passes, which officials described as an ending to the era of “use-it-or-lose-it.”
Proposed toll increases for bridges and tunnels are also being considered, with most MTA crossings potentially rising from $6.94 to $7.46 with EZPass.
The MTA board will vote on the full fare and toll plan this fall, preceded by a slate of public hearings.
Later this year, the new OMNY Card fee will jump from $1 to $2. No changes will be made to the congestion pricing base toll of $9.
Transit advocates used the potential fare increase to draw attention to the city’s Fair Fares program. Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director of the Riders Alliance, said “struggling riders” need help from the city with more reduced fare opportunities.
