Straphangers

It only took three weeks for the MTA to “postpone” the service upgrades promised after the March fare hikes, so we were skeptical when officials told frustrated straphangers that the package might be approved in June if the MTA’s financial situation improved.

MTA Executive Director Lee Sander said Wednesday that the transportation authority faced an operating deficit of as much as $500 million to $700 million next year—mainly due to a dip in real estate tax revenue and the rising costs of fuel—and warned that if Albany did pitch in more money to fill the gap, the burden would fall on passengers.

But, according to a statement issued today by riders advocacy group the Straphangers Campaign, New Yorkers already pay 55 percent of the city's transit costs, giving them the highest fare burden in the nation. In other large transit networks, fares account for an average of 40 percent of operating budgets.  read more »