The MTA's 2015 toll and fare hikes are back in action and will go into effect as of today, March 22, 2015.Â
The Toll and Fare Hikes
The toll to cross the Verrazano Bridge will increase from $15 to $16.
The Express Bus fare will jump from $6 to $6.50.
The Subway and Local Bus fare will change from $2.50 to $2.75, which means a single ride ticket now costs $3.
Unlimited Weekly Metro Cards will jump from $30 to $31, and Unlimited Monthly Metro Cards will spike from $112 to $116.50.
You can read the full list of approved price changes here.
The Discounts
Although some of these prices may seem outrageous, the MTA has provided residents a few options that may help us save in the long run.
Verrazano Bridge Options
1. Staten Island Resident Car Pool Option - If you have a resident sticker and have 3+ passengers in your vehicle, you can pay a toll of $3.08 in any cash lane.Â
2. Staten Island Resident E-Z Pass Option - If you are a Staten Island resident and use an E-Z Pass the toll for you will be $5.75Â (up $0.25 from $5.50).
3. Staten Island Resident Token Option - If have a resident sticker and do not use an E-Z Pass, you can collect a token at the toll booth for a whopping $8.87.
4. E-Z Pass Option - All E-Z Pass users get an automatic discount and pay a toll of $11.08.
Express/Local Bus and Subway Options
1. There is an 11% bonus added onto your Metro Card everytime you buy one worth $5.50 or more.
These graphs provided by the MTA website show you which card options best suit you and your needs based on how often you take which mode of transportation:
And also how the 11% bonus helps you save:
For more information on how to be the most cost effective with the new pricing, you can read the rest of the MTA's graphs here.
Posted by Dil Gillani on
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