File #: Res 0670-2015    Version: * Name: MTA to allow riders travelling within NYC City limits to pay a fare for commuter rail equal to that of a MetroCard ride on NYC Transit subways and buses.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on Transportation
On agenda: 4/28/2015
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the MTA to allow riders travelling within New York City limits to pay a fare for commuter rail equal to that of a MetroCard ride on New York City Transit subways and buses; and allow for free transfers between commuter rail and New York City Transit subways and buses.
Sponsors: I. Daneek Miller, Mathieu Eugene, Vincent J. Gentile, Corey D. Johnson, Donovan J. Richards, Andrew Cohen, James G. Van Bramer, Jumaane D. Williams, Peter A. Koo, Paul A. Vallone, Elizabeth S. Crowley, Costa G. Constantinides, Karen Koslowitz, Barry S. Grodenchik, Daniel Dromm , Antonio Reynoso, Rory I. Lancman, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Rafael L. Espinal, Jr., Eric A. Ulrich
Council Member Sponsors: 20
Attachments: 1. April 28, 2015 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files, 2. Committee Report 11/12/15, 3. Hearing Testimony 11/12/15, 4. Hearing Transcript 11/12/15
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2017*I. Daneek Miller City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/12/2015*I. Daneek Miller Committee on Transportation Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/12/2015*I. Daneek Miller Committee on Transportation Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/28/2015*I. Daneek Miller City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/28/2015*I. Daneek Miller City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 670

 

Resolution calling upon the MTA to allow riders travelling within New York City limits to pay a fare for commuter rail equal to that of a MetroCard ride on New York City Transit subways and buses; and allow for free transfers between commuter rail and New York City Transit subways and buses.

 

By Council Members Miller, Eugene, Gentile, Johnson, Richards, Cohen, Van Bramer, Williams, Koo, Vallone, Crowley, Constantinides, Koslowitz, Grodenchik, Dromm, Reynoso, Lancman, Ferreras-Copeland, Espinal and Ulrich

                     Whereas, On March 21st, 2015, the MTA raised fares on trains, buses, bridges, tunnels and commuter rail across their entire system; and

                     Whereas, The MTA has raised fares for riders on five separate occasions in the past eight years and plans to raise fares again in 2017; and

                     Whereas, At a New York City Transit (NYCT) monthly board meeting on March 23rd, 2015, NYCT President Carmen Bianco acknowledged increases in system delays and wait times for riders; and

                     Whereas, The MTA presently has several subsidy programs for travel within specific areas, including the CityTicket program, which charges $4.25 on Metro North and Long Island Rail Road travel within city limits exclusively on weekends; the $3 intermediate fare for all Metro North Travel within the Bronx; the $3.25 fare for all off-peak LIRR travel within Zone 3, which includes 14 stops in eastern Queens; and

                     Whereas, CityTicket has specific restrictions, including that it is only available on weekends; it cannot be used to transfer trains at junction points, even when remaining within city limits; it is only available on the date of purchase; it cannot be purchased on board trains; it is not available on the New Haven Line between Manhattan and Fordham station; and it does not provide free transfers between commuter rail and subways and buses; and

                     Whereas, On weekdays, when CityTicket is not in effect and a larger number of commuters are traveling, fares for commuter rail are over 50% higher, with peak fares from Penn Station to LIRR stations in Queens totaling between $8.25 and $10; peak fares between Grand Central Terminal and Metro North Stations in the Bronx totaling $8.75; and the peak fare between Atlantic Terminal and Jamaica is $10; and

                     Whereas, According to testimony from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign at a February 10th, 2015 hearing of the Council of the City of New York’s Committee on Transportation, the percentage of New Yorkers spending an hour or more to get to work has increased by 20% over the past few years and two-thirds of this group make less than $35,000 per year, highlighting the financial burdens of higher fares and longer commutes; and

                     Whereas, According to MTA data, travel time via commuter rail within New York City is considerably faster than comparable subway and bus trips, with trips between Grand Central Station and several stations in the Bronx taking 50% less time; trips between Penn Station and outer Queens stations taking over 50% less time and trips between Jamaica Station in Queens and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn taking nearly 75% less time; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That The Council of the City of New York calls upon the MTA to allow riders travelling within New York City limits to pay a fare for commuter rail equal to that of a MetroCard ride on New York City Transit subways and buses; and allow for free transfers between commuter rail and New York City Transit subways and buses.

 

LS#4489

3/31/15

RM