NYC MTA Fare Increase March 19 2017 (Bus/Subway/Bridges)

[Brighton Line]

Well it's been two years since I last posted this so we bring in spring with NYC Bus/Subway/Bridges fare increase Sunday March 19th.

 

Actually the Bus/Subway fare for pay per ride there is NO increase of the $2.75 per ride but the "bonus" you get for purchase fares on a metrocard over $5 is being reduced to 5% so your actual out of pocket cost is going to increase.

Weekly, Monthly and Express Bus unlimited cards do have a price increase.

 

More importantly the MTA bridges and tunnels like the Henry Hudson, Queens Midtown, Hugh Cary (Brooklyn Battery) Tunnels all increase in cash and Ez-Pass fares. Also note that all MTA crossing will be changed to non-cash toll collection. EZ-Pass or plate picture bill in the mail. MTA has started with the two tunnels and will roll it out crossing by crossing.

 

Subway Bus Effective Fare with bonus current $2.48, New $2.62 Single Ride Ticket still $3 base fare stays $2.75 per ride.

 

RFK/Throgs Neck/Bronx-Whiteston/Hugh L. Carey Tunnel/Queens Midtown

Car NYCSC EzPass Current $5.54 New $5.76

Car Cash/Tolls by mail/Non NYCSC EzPass Current $8 New $8.50

 

Henry Hudson Bridge (No Cash)

Car Tolls by mail/Non NYCSC EzPass Current $5.50 New $6

Car NYCSC EzPass Current $2.54 New $2.64

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Tolls Collected One Way

Car NYCSC EzPass Current $11.08 New $11.52

Car Cash/Tolls by mail/Non NYCSC EzPass Current $16 New $17

[138east]

Thanks for the update. I'll update my advice accordingly.

[George C]

It cost 15 cents until about 1970, still have a few old tokens

[Brighton Line]

Correction on above you only get the 5% bonus on metrocard purchase of $5.50 or more.

 

Fun fact not pertaining to cruisers here, to handle the Staten Island Resident Carpool fare they are testing EzPasses with a switch on it for car pool and infrared cameras for enforcement of 3 or more people in the car.

Currently VZ bridge you buy a ticket book for the carpool rate and have to go to the cash lane to use on each trip.

[njhorseman]

As a NJ resident, it annoys me that EZPass discounts on MTA bridges and tunnels are only given to NY Customer Service Center-issued EZPasses.

[Nitemare]

njh: Does NJ give NY EZ Pass holders a discount on the NJT and GSP?

 

We have Mass and NY EZ Passes and swap them when we leave each state to get both discounts.

[njhorseman]

njh: Does NJ give NY EZ Pass holders a discount on the NJT and GSP?

 

We have Mass and NY EZ Passes and swap them when we leave each state to get both discounts.

 

NJ Turnpike EZ Pass discounts are only for NJ-issued accounts...but...even those discounts in NJ are small and are only applied during off peak times, which are only weekdays from 9 am to 4:30 pm. All other times, including all day on weekends, are considered peak hours and no discount is given to anyone, regardless of where the EZ pass was issued.

 

To give you an idea of how relatively small the NJ EZ Pass discounts are, the maximum passenger car cash toll, for travel between Exit 18W or 18E and Exit 01 is $13.85, and the discounted NJ EZ Pass off peak toll is $10.40, a difference of only $3.45 for a trip of over 100 miles.

 

There are no EZ pass discounts, even for NJ passenger car accounts, on the Garden State Parkway. EZ Pass strictly serves as a convenience that allows you quicker transit through the toll barriers.

[Brighton Line]

There is nothing that prevents you from owning more than one EZPass issued from different authorities. You don't even have to have a car to own a EZPass, you just can't register the EZPass on line without entering registration information. If you don't own a car you just call the service center that issued the EZPass to register.

[njhorseman]

There is nothing that prevents you from owning more than one EZPass issued from different authorities. You don't even have to have a car to own a EZPass, you just can't register the EZPass on line without entering registration information. If you don't own a car you just call the service center that issued the EZPass to register.

 

Does NY charge a monthly service fee for maintaining an account? NJ introduced a one dollar per account (not per tag) fee a few years ago. Since I no longer use the MTA crossings very often, if NY has even a small fee it wouldn't make any financial sense for me to have a NY tag. Also I assume you have to fund your account, which at least in NJ means depositing $25 (easiest way through a credit card). If I don't use the MTA crossings very often, I don't find a lot of sense to making a free loan to NY EZ Pass.

[Nitemare]

NJ Turnpike EZ Pass discounts are only for NJ-issued accounts...but...even those discounts in NJ are small and are only applied during off peak times, which are only weekdays from 9 am to 4:30 pm. All other times, including all day on weekends, are considered peak hours and no discount is given to anyone, regardless of where the EZ pass was issued.

 

To give you an idea of how relatively small the NJ EZ Pass discounts are, the maximum passenger car cash toll, for travel between Exit 18W or 18E and Exit 01 is $13.85, and the discounted NJ EZ Pass off peak toll is $10.40, a difference of only $3.45 for a trip of over 100 miles.

 

There are no EZ pass discounts, even for NJ passenger car accounts, on the Garden State Parkway. EZ Pass strictly serves as a convenience that allows you quicker transit through the toll barriers.

 

If NJ doesn't give NY a discount, then why would NY give NJ one?

 

Does NY charge a monthly service fee for maintaining an account? NJ introduced a one dollar per account (not per tag) fee a few years ago. Since I no longer use the MTA crossings very often, if NY has even a small fee it wouldn't make any financial sense for me to have a NY tag. Also I assume you have to fund your account, which at least in NJ means depositing $25 (easiest way through a credit card). If I don't use the MTA crossings very often, I don't find a lot of sense to making a free loan to NY EZ Pass.

 

Neither NY nor Mass charge any service fees.

 

The interest on $25 for a year at 1% is twenty-five cents. For the convenience of having a full EZ Pass I consider that a bargain.

[njhorseman]

If NJ doesn't give NY a discount, then why would NY give NJ one?

 

 

 

Neither NY nor Mass charge any service fees.

 

The interest on $25 for a year at 1% is twenty-five cents. For the convenience of having a full EZ Pass I consider that a bargain.

 

My point about NY discounts versus NJ discounts is about the relative sizes of the discounts. NY discounts are a significant percentage of the cash toll and are offered 365/24/7, while NJ discounts are small and offered only on weekdays for 7.5 hours per weekday. There's not much to be gained by having the NJ EZ Pass, but there is by having a NY EZ Pass. If the conditions and discounts were comparable it would be one thing, but they're not.

 

It's not about the amount of interest, it's the concept of allowing a quasi-governmental agency to hold my money for a service I almost never use. Multiply $25 by the potential number of out-of-state drivers who might acquire a NY EZ Pass for the same reason and there's a huge free loan that might be made to NY. If that money were acquired through a financial market source there would be significant interest to pay, but they can get it from us for nothing.

Edited March 22, 2017 by njhorseman

[Brighton Line]

Yes no fee and agree with NJHorse, just point out that if it is a cash account with NY they hold $10 for the tag deposit so total is $35 held with. CC on the account they don't hold the $10.

You can also do one time payment online when you expect a trip that would cause your balance to initiate payment.

[Got2Cruise]

I guess on principle one could use a Hudson River crossing from NJ onto Manhattan then use a free East River Crossing onto Long Island.

 

 

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