wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] CH from NYC September 25, 2007 - 11:47AM

  So those of us who are doing the right think by using mass transit for our rush-hour, PEAK commute to work are now going to pay more???!!!

  
  
• [2] ab from nyc September 25, 2007 - 11:52AM

  yeah...basically.

  Are their books public now?

  
  
• [3] MILAN from manhattan September 25, 2007 - 11:53AM

  did anybody ever discuss standing room only subway cars?

  
  
• [4] justin from Manhattan September 25, 2007 - 11:54AM

  The reason to have a fair fare hike is supposedly to be able to pay for the increased costs.

  Why instead of just simply raising fares why doesn't the MTA have a contest to come up with creative ways to lower costs. Thereby they can keep their existing services and support their operations. I am of the thinking that an organization like MTA is filled with inefficiencies. Having a contest allows for creative open source solutions to cutting costs beyond cutting jobs. The winner(s) can get a years travel on MTA for free.

  
  
• [5] dp September 25, 2007 - 11:57AM

  crowded trains are already enough incentive to deter unnecessary rush hour trips!

  
  
• [6] clay September 25, 2007 - 11:57AM

  What about raising rates for the suburbanites? Why does the NYCTA have to carry the weight of the entire MTA?

  
  
• [7] Morarji (Mo) Mejia from Bronx September 25, 2007 - 12:00PM

  I think we should not accept either of the proposed fare hikes. The MTA have to fix their financial practices, it’s easier when

  someone-else have to pay for their mistake. They cut jobs by introducing the Metro-card machines. We as New Yorkers have to unify and do something similar to something call the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

  Brian, I like your show

  
  
• [8] markbnj from www.my-poem-a-day.blogspot or markbnj.blogspot.com September 25, 2007 - 12:01PM

  So Brian (Beth--)

  I called in and asked about the 2nd avenue tunnel that was COMPLETED between 23rd street and St. Marks Place.

  (and I explained that parts of the tunnel were leased out after the project fizzled for RECORDS storage...)

  And Beth said,

  most of the tunnel is usable, but SOME of it will be retained for storage

  SO those 99 year leases (I presume) for the STORAGE will OVER-RIDE the need of the public(and eminent domain WONT be used to void those leases???)

  N ext comment.

  IF the DAMNED tunnel is ALREADY built, why wasnt that the first section to be completed

  or was it just that the 63rd street tunnelk was such a fiasco, it needed to be offloaded again!

  Please give us more info Beth!

  Mark Brown in NJ

  
  
• [9] Deena from brooklyn September 25, 2007 - 12:04PM

  on hearing about the options for the MTA fare hike I really thought Brian's "burning question" about the MTA hike proposals would be: How the MTA can program their scanners to determine the time of day people ride, but still have too much trouble programming the scanners to read a $.10 increase instead of $.25?

  The MTA are really masters when it comes to making convenient excuses.

  
  
• [10] Constantine Tzanis from New York, NY September 25, 2007 - 12:10PM

  oh contraire!

  No previous weekend subway discount?

  Attached an exerpt from the New York Times FYI column from May, 2003:

  http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDC153FF932A25756C0A9659C8B63

  4 Fares in 4 Days

  Despite pledging to ''hold the fare'' in the 1973 mayoral campaign, Mayor Abraham D. Beame had little choice in 1975 but to acquiesce to the M.T.A. decision to raise fares. The 43 percent increase was met with demonstrations, and civic groups encouraged passengers to enter through exit gates without paying.

  The increase caused an odd pricing situation. At the time, half-price fares were offered on Sundays and holidays. The fare on Saturday, Aug. 30, was 35 cents; on Sunday it was 17 cents. On Monday, Sept. 1, the fares went up but because it was Labor Day, the price was 25 cents. The next day, the fare rose to 50 cents. Four different subway fares in four consecutive days was unprecedented.

  
  
• [11] paulb from Prospect Heights, Brooklyn September 25, 2007 - 10:35PM

  I just got a new folding bike and have been using it to ride to work in Manhattan from Brooklyn. If I factor in the cost of the bike and its maintenance, I don't think it's any cheaper (maybe slightly) than taking the subway for the part of the year when the weather allows its use--assuming I don't get into a crash and need major repair to either myself or the bike. The subway is frequently unpleasant but I don't see how anyone who lives in a one-fare zone can complain that it's expensive. And a peak/off-peak fare structure is consistent with sound economics.

  The Second Avenue subway...Now that's an interesting issue. No room here for my opinions about that.