MTA Fare Hike May Result in Lower Off-Peak Fares

A fare hike by the Metropolitan Transit Authority could include different fares for peak and off-peak times, lowering the pay-per-ride MetroCard in times of less usage.

Two options for fare hikes were presented to the MTA board yesterday, both of which would raise the base fare to $2.25 from $2.

One option would raise the price of 30-day unlimited MetroCards to $79 from $76, while the other would raise the passes to between $81 and $82. The second option would also introduce a split fare system of $2 for peak hours and $1.50 during off-peak times for MetroCards of at least $6.

Both options include a new 14-day unlimited MetroCard, priced between $45 and $48.

Should fares not be increased, the MTA is predicting a budget deficit of about $1 billion in 2008, an amount that is projected to rise in future years.