nyt

Wassaic and Tenmile River Stations Open on Metro-North Harlem Line

• First expansion since Metro-North began operation in 1983
• "Business is booming so much that Metro-North has considered building an extension into Pennsylvania Station and rehabilitating an old east-west line, which would run from Beacon in Dutchess County to the Brewster station in Putnam."
• "'We've always viewed the train as our connection to the metropolitan area,' she said. 'I feel like it keeps us connected to life and activity, so we're not just forgotten out here.'"
• Source: Claudia Rowe, "6 Miles for $6 Million," The New York Times, July 9, 2000. link
• Tags: conway metro-north

Richard Ravitch NYT Op-Ed on Governor's Interference

• Discourages city take-over because it resembles system that failed pre-MTA and risks losing regional taxes currently provided from state Legislature
• Source: Richard Ravitch, "New York's Subways Need an Independent M.T.A.," The New York Times, March 29, 2019. link
• Tags: mta ravitch

William Wheeler passes away

• Date: October 27, 2018
• Involved in A LOT
  • Oversaw MetroCard adoption
  • Recommended countdown clocks
  • Helped secure federal financing for Fulton Center
  • Assisted with air rights over Hudson and Atlantic yards
  • Tried to link planning to retail development and require property owners near subways to pay for improvements
• Source: Sam Roberts, "William Wheeler, New York Mass Transit Visionary, Dies at 69," The New York Times, October 31, 2018. link
• Tags: mta people wheeler

French-American company awarded car contract, MTA floats first bonds

• New cars ordered: R68s
  • New cars would have flat stainless steel exteriors to be easy to clean graffiti off of
  • Order was $210mil, or $933k per sar
    • Previous orders from Canadian and Japanese companies were $800k per car, but for smaller cars (IRT)
  • Final assembly performed at Brooklyn Army Terminal
  • Westinghouse-Amrail is a joint venture of Westinghouse of Pittsburgh and Francorail
• NYCTA completed sale of first revenue-backed bonds
  • To be used for capital program, including the subway cars ordered
  • Sold $250mil of bonds at annual rate of 9.7%
  • Prevoius car orders from Bombardier and Kawasaki included financing from Canadian and Japanese governments because MTA did not believe they could raise money through bond market at favorable rates
  • Bonds were rated BBB+ from S&P
  • Ravitch was hoping for 14%, elated to get 9.7%
  • "The $250 million issue is the first of $1.6 billion in revenue bonds the M.T.A. plans to float. Over the 30-year life of the bonds, the debt service is expected to add less than 20 cents to the fare, Mr. Ravitch said. However, he added, if ridership or government subsidies increase, the impact on the fare could be lower."
• Source: Ari Goldman, "FRENCH-U.S. CONCERN GRANTED M.T.A. PACT FOR 225 SUBWAY CARS," The New York Times, October 15, 1982. link
• Tags: bonds mta ravitch

Subway areas closed due to crime

• NYCTA planned to close the areas within 7 days without public hearings or MTA approval
• "For January of this year, subway crime declined by more than 20 percent. The transit police say the number dropped because of a crackdown on fare dvasion that prevented people who would commit more serious crimes from entering the subway."
  • Bratton had become transit police chief in 1990!
• Woman was raped on March 20 in tunnel beneath Avenue of the Americas to connect 34th and 42nd St stations
• Some sections closed were paths between uptown and downtown at local stations
  • Did this lead to some of the "Downtown Only" stations we have today?
  • TA said paths at express stations would not be closed
• Source: Calvin Sims, "15 More Areas in Subways To Be Closed," The New York Times, March 29, 1991. link
• Tags: mta stations

Seventh Avenue Subway spur to 34th St opens

• Date: June 3, 1917
• Pennsylvania Terminal was expected to be a local station
• "When complete the road will convey a passenger without change from Van Cortland Park to New Lots, on Long Island."
• New track said to be smoother than old track and had a raised footpath built alongside the track, in case of emergency
• IRT officials opened 8-block spur to handle daily traffic to Pennsylvania Station
• Source: "Open Subway Spur to 34th Street," The New York Times, June 4, 1917. link
• Tags: expansion irt

Transfer opens between Broadway-Lafayette and Uptown trains at Bleecker

• Construction approved in 2005
• Downtown transfer between IRT and IND was built in 1957
  • Bleecker platforms were not directly across from each other (northbound more north)
• Source: Matt Flegenheimer, "A Vexing Flaw in the Subway Is Finally Fixed," The New York Times, September 23, 2012. link
• Source: Sewell Chan, "With Connection on No. 6 Line, a Manhattan Transfer Is Coming," The New York Times, May 7, 2005. link
• Tags: mta stations

Mayor McClellan takes first subway ride

• Date: January 1, 1094
• People
  • Mayor McClellan
  • Contractor John B. McDonald
  • Frederick Underwood, President of Erie Railroad
  • Chief Engineer William Barclay Parsons
• Most stations not quite complete yet
• The Lenox Avenue line had also been built already
  • Left via express tracks dropping below and east of local tracks north of 96th St
• Source: "On Handcars Through Six Miles of Subway," The New York Times, January 2, 1904. link
• Tags: expansion irt mcclellan

Penn orders high-speed coaches

• Source: nyt

First air-conditioned subway cars

• Trial run of 4 cars (in a 10-car train) on the F train
  • From 179th in Jamaica to Lafayette Street in Manhattan
  • Did the F stop at Broadway Lafayette?
• System had total of 4k cars
• Lindsay hoped cars would decrease hostility index
• Lindsay wanted to order 200 more cars for 1969 if trial was a success
• Cost expected to be $165k, compared to $125k for non-air conditioned car
• Walter Schlager was general manager of NYCTA
  • Said air-conditioned subway train required about 1/3 more power than conventional train
  • Would require new substations to provide additional power
• Source: Murray Schumach, "Hostility Melts in Cool 'F' Train," The New York Times, July 20, 1967. link
• Tags: air-conditioning lindsay

School bonds bill passes in Albany

• Tax-exempt bonds allowed for apartment or office construction above schools
• Part of Board of Education's 10 year, $1.5bil construction program
• Created a NYC educational construction fund to float the bonds
• Debt to be unlimited and outside the city's debt limit
• Source: "Major Bills in Legislature," The New York Times, July 6, 1966. link
• Source: Sydney H. Schanberg, "ALBANY GETS BILL FOR SCHOOL BONDS," The New York Times, June 2, 1966. link
• Source: Douglas Robinson, "School-Apartment Bill Wins Approval," The New York Times, July 6, 1966. link
• Tags: education lindsay rockefeller

India gets World Bank credit for railroads

• $68mil credit came as first international aid since conflict with Pakistan
• International Development Association was affiliate for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or World Bank
• Source: Gerd Wilcke, "INDIA GETS A LOAN FOR RAIL SYSTEM," The New York Times, June 30, 1966. link
• Tags: indian-railways

Rockfeller proposes what would become MTA

• MCTA had been formed in 1965 to buy and operate Long Island Rail Road
• Ronan was MCTA chair
• Rockefeller's plan would be designed to avoid legal questions about rights of Triborough bondholders
• Source: "Rockefller Seeks Regional Agency to Direct Transit," The New York Times, June 3, 1966. link
• Tags: mta-formation rockefeller ronan

Lindsay's transportation plan

• Would merge Transit Authority and Triborough
• Would provide mayor with veto power
• This ended up not happening because of Rockefeller's own plan
• Source: Richard Witken, "Lindsay and 'the Moses Problem'," The New York Times, March 20, 1966. link
• Source: "Rockefller Seeks Regional Agency to Direct Transit," The New York Times, June 3, 1966. link
• Tags: lindsay mta-formation

Commuter Tax and City Income tax approved in state legislature

• Commuter tax and city income tax enacted as part of $253 city tax package
• Source: Richard L. Madden, "Councile Votes Income Tax After Albany's Approval; Medicaid's Scope Reduced," The New York Times, July 2, 1966. link
• Tags: taxes

Supreme Court upholds Transit Commission decision to deny IRT 7 cent fare

• Source: "Decision is Climax of Long Litigation," The New York Times, April 9, 1929. link
• Tags: fares irt

Dual Contracts signed

• Date: March 19, 1913
• People
  • Theodore Shonts, President of IRT
  • George McAneny, Manhattan Borough President
• New York Municipal Railway was subsidiary of Brooklyn Rapid Transit (later BMT)
• Source: "Subway Contracts Solemnly Signed," The New York Times, March 20, 1913. link
• Tags: bmt dual-contracts expansion irt mcaneny

Janno Lieber becomes MTA Chief Development Offficer

• Was at Silverstein Properties
• Source: Emma Fitzsimmons, "World Trade Center Developer to Oversee M.T.A. Expansion Projects," The New York Times, April 19, 2017. link
• Tags: lieber mta mta-leadership todo

David Gunn leaves MTA

• Source: William G. Blair, "Gunn to Leave Transit Agency; Says System Is Now Acceptable," The New York Times, January 6, 1990. link
• Tags: gunn mta mta-leadership todo

Portal Bridge replacement mulled

• Source: Patrick McGeehan, "104-Year-Old Portal Bridge Presents $900 Million Problem for Rail Commuters," The New York Times, September 25, 2014. link
• Tags: northeast-corridor portal-bridge

RPA proposes extending Hudson tunnels to Long Island

• Proposal includes:
  • Through running tracks from New Jersey to Long Island
    • similar to existing Hudson Tunnels?
  • Expanding Penn Station south a block to 30th St
  • New bus terminal under the Javits Center
  • New bus terminal in Midtown for long distance buses
• RPA Fourth Plan coming out later in 2017
• Source: Patrick McGeehan, "Transit Group Proposes Extending Gateway Project to Reach Long Island," The New York Times, August 16, 2017. link
• Tags: hudson-tunnels rpa

Christie kills Hudson tunnel

• Date: October 6, 2010
• Source: Patrick McGeehan, "Christie Halts Train Tunnel, Citing Its Cost," The New York Times, October 7, 2010. link
• Tags: christie hudson-tunnels

Andy Byford named president of MTA New York City Transit

• Byford caught Cuomo's eye after his participation in the 2014 MTA Reinvention Commission
• Byford "first rode the New York City subway in 1994 when he was on his honeymoon and 'marveled at its complexity.'"
• Byford will oversee about 47,000 employees at NYCT
• Alumni of London and Sydney's transit networks
• He brought open gangway cars to TTC
• Source: Marc Santora, "Toronto Transit Chief Is Tapped to Run New York’s Ailing Subways," The New York Times, November 21, 2017. link
• Tags: byford mta mta-leadership

Park Slope Rezoned, Height allowed on Forth Avenue

• Plan would put restrictions on development to be similar to existing 3-4 shtory Victorian town houses
• Plan would also allow for 12-story buildings on Forth Avenue
• Broad medians on Forth likened to Park Avenue
• Council member de Blasio wanted more incentives for affordable housing
• City Planning Commission chairwoman said plan did not have inclusionary zoning
• Source: Alan S. Oser, "Rezoning, and Redefining, Park Slope," The New York Times, December 28, 2003. link
• Source: Diane Cardwell, "Highs and Lows in Park Slope Rezoning Plan," The New York Times, April 2, 2003. link
• Tags: park-slope rezoning

Pennslyvania Railroad receives approval for terminal and tunnels

• Board of Aldermen approved tunnel franchise by one vote
• Source: "THE ALDERMEN YIELD," The New York Times, December 17, 1902. link
• Tags: hudson-tunnels penn-station pennrr

Rockefeller proposes state take over Harlem and Hudson lines

• Rockefeller also announced modernization plans, pending legislative approval of the bond authority
  • not sure what bond authority is here
• Purchase of 80 new Penn Central cars finances with $21mil in bonds through New York State Commuter Car Program
  • NYS CCP administered by Port Authority, which was then still called the Port of New York Authority
  • Port Authority would buy cars and lease them to the state
• Rest of modernization financed by $44mil in bonds from State Transportation Bond Fund
• Ronan said Penn Central would manage the line under MTA's direction, and MTA would pay them for maintenance and oprating costs, which would be paid out of operating revenue
• Plans for take-over started with state transit master plan in 1968
• Source: Bill Kovach, "STATE TO ACQUIRE 2 COMMUTER RUNS," The New York Times, April 17, 1970. link
• Tags: metro-north penn-central rockefeller ronan

Fare remains at $2.50, but week and month pass rise

• Date: December 30, 2010
• Base fare remains at $2.25 [1]
  • Though single ride increases to $2.50
    • is this the first time they have diverged?
  • 30-day unlimited increases from $89 to $104
  • 7-day unlimited increases from $27 to $29
  • Time-based passes will remain unlimited, after board rejected a ride-capping proposal
  • A third of riders use 30-day passes
  • Fare increase expected to increase revenues by 7.5%
    • Earlier 2010 service cuts were due to budget deficit caused by lower tax revenue and cut in state funding
  • 30-day (month) pass cost $63 a month when introduced in 1998
    • Has increased 65% in 12 years, far greater than inflation
  • Bonus drops to 7%
• Source: Michael M. Grynbaum, "M.T.A. Approves Transit Fare Increases," The New York Times, October 7, 2010. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta walder

2015 MTA Budget

• Source: Emma G. Fitzsimmons, "M.T.A. Approves Budget, but Deal Cuts 2nd Ave. Line Funding," The New York Times, October 28, 2015. link
• Tags: budget mta second-avenue todo

New Fare Payment Technology

• Source: Emma G. Fitzsimmons, "From Swipes to Taps: A Look at the End for MetroCards," The New York Times, April 18, 2016. link
• Tags: fare-payment mta todo

Fare remains at $2.75, but week and month pass rise

• Date: March 19, 2017
• Base fare remains $2.75, bonus lowered from 11% to 5%
• Weekly pass increases from $31 to $32
• Monthly pass increases from $116.50 to $121
• Source: Emma G. Fitzsimmons, "M.T.A. Votes to Raise Fares and Tolls: What You Need to Know," The New York Times, January 25, 2017. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta

Ravitch named MTA chairman

• Source: Leslie Maitland, "Carey Asks Richard Ravitch to Be Head of the M.T.A.," The New York Times, October 12, 1979. link
• Tags: chairmen mta ravitch

Program Planners Study on Federal Operating Assistance

• NYCTA received 7.5% of operating budget from federal aid ($127mil of $1.7bil) versus 17.6% for LA [1]
  • Study by Program Planners Inc and Jack Bigel (yes, the one from union talks)
  • Reagan was proposing ending federal operating assistance for mass transit in 1985
  • Studied cities with 1000 or more revenue vehicles
    • LA, Philadephia, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, San Francisco, NY
  • Federal operating assistance formula revised in 1978 to give weight to cities with greater than 750k people and rail systems
  • Federal operating assistance totaled $1.0939bil in 1980, 30.2% of government aid
    • State assistance was $820.4mil, local assistance was $1.7039bil
  • Ravitch says fares cover 55% of MTA's $2.5bil operating budget (all modes)
    • Local and state subsidies cover 37%
    • Local taxes, which have increases with lowering of federal assistance, are "much less progressive than the Federal income tax"
  • New York's fare was 75 cents at the time
• Source: Peter Kihss, "CITY SAID TO TRAIL IN U.S. TRANSIT AID," The New York Times, June 6, 1982. link
• Tags: bigel city-assistance federal-assistance mta ravitch report state-assistance

HUD Vouchers

• Source: Michael Winerip, "In New York,, H.U.D.'s Vouchers Pay for Already Cheap Housing," The New York Times, December 31, 1989. link
• Tags: housing nyc todo

School Children Fare Debate

• Was this the beginning of the end for 100% farebox recovery?
• Source: "City to Add 9 Million Aid To Help Keep 15c Fare," The New York Times, July 10, 1963. link
• Source: "NEW TRANSIT AID IS LINKED TO FARE," The New York Times, October 16, 1963. link
• Source: E.R. Shipp, "M.T.A. Drops Pupil Half-Fare Program," The New York Times, June 14, 1980. link
• Source: "The 20-Cent Fare Arrives," The New York Times, October 26, 1963. link
• Tags: fares mta student-fares

Fare increases from $2 to $2.25

• Date: June 28, 2009
• MTA considered raising base fare to $3, but "state approved a bailout last month boosting mass transit subsidies"
• Payroll mobility tax on 12-county MTA region was created, vehicle registration and parking fees were increased
• Hike was coupled with service cuts
• Unlimited ride MetroCard increases
  • 1-day: $7.50 to $8.25
  • 7-day: $25 to $27
  • 14-day: $47 to $51.50
  • 30-day: $81 to $89
• Pay-per-ride bonus remains at 8%
• In March 2009, MTA board previously approved increase from $2 to $2.50 [2]
  • Before Ravitch Commission report was adopted in the legislature, which created Payroll Mobility Tax
  • Report also suggested tolls on East River and Harlem River bridges
  • MTA executive director Elliot G. Sander referred to capital construction binge from 2000 to 2004 as being put "on a credit card"
• Source: "M.T.A. Increases Fares and Cuts Services," The New York Times, March 25, 2009. link
• Source: "Approved Fares for NYC Transit, MTA Bus, Long Island Bus and the Staten Island Railway," Metropolitan Transportation Authority, December 30, 2010. link
• Source: "Farewell $2, hi $2.25," New York Daily News, June 28, 2009. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta sanders

Fare increases from $1 to $1.15

• Date: January 1, 1990
• A 1987 agreement with the unions, Governor, and Legislature "provided for the $1.15 fare" [1]
  • Occurred while approving 1987 $8.5bil capital plan
  • Written primarily by Felix Rohatyn
• Increase of 15% was to close $200mil budget defecit
• There was a political retreat from a $1.25 fare
  • Some say due to public outcry, others say it was a political gimmick
• Kiley said in July 1989 that more than a $1.15 fare may be necessary
  • Ridership had not increased, resulting in $15mil less revenue than expected
  • Corporate-tax revenues were down $15mil
  • Federal aid was $25mil less than expected
• "Technically, the M.T.A. can approve fare increases without the agreement of lawmakers. The Legislature, however, controls the authority's huge capital plans, giving it strong influence." [2]
• Source: "Kiley Says Fares Could Increase Beyond $1.15 Planned for 1990," The New York Times, June 1, 1989. link
• Source: David E. Pitt, "A $1.15 Token Now Supported By Transit Staff," The New York Times, December 2, 1989. link
• Source: Eric Schmitt, "Transit Lines Brace for Test Of $1.15 Fare," The New York Times, January 2, 1990. link
• Source: "Turnstile Politics: Preparing for the $1.15 Token," The New York Times, December 3, 1989. link
• Tags: fare-increases federal-assistance kiley mta rohatyn

Fare increases from 75 cents to 90 cents

• Date: January 2, 1984
• Kiley defends increases to make up operating deficits
• 1984 budget is $3.7bil
• New fares and tolls expected to generate $270mil
• Elderly and handicapped returned to half fare 24 hours a day
  • Had been half fare only outside of 7am and 9am
• City Council President Carol Bellamy had several criticisms
  • Questioned whether $38mil reserve fund for track work was necessary
  • Thought some operating budget items should actually be capital budget items
  • Thought budget was too conservative in "failing to count on receiving certain Federal financing"
• Board endorsed Koch's proposal to have MTA set up administrative board to prosecute fare evadors, rather than sending them to court, as was currently done
• Source: Suzanne Daley, "M.T.A. RAISES FARES AND TOLLS BY 20% ACROSS THE BOARD," The New York Times, December 17, 1983. link
• Tags: fare-increases federal-assistance kiley mta

Fare increases from 60 cents to 75 cents

• Approved by the MTA on July 2nd, took effect on July 3rd
• Continued to use 60 cent token
• A two-step increase was approved: fare would increase again to $1 in two weeks(!) if no additional state aid was provided
• Without second increase or addition state aid, NYC Transit Authority would still face annual defecit of $240mil
• Source: Judith Cummings, "City's Fare Rises to 75 cents and Rails Increase by 25%," The New York Times, July 3, 1981. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta ravitch

Fare increases from 15 cents to 20 cents

• Date: July 5, 1966
• Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, a private bus company, wanted Wagner administration to increase fare to 20 cents in 1961 [2]
  • seems to imply NYCTA-specified fare applied to more than NYCTA
  • 15-cent fare possible because taxpayer subsidizes all NYCTA capital costs
    • 1961 debt service was $92mil
  • City-owned NYCTA did not pay taxes, Fifth Avenue coaches paid more than $4mil annually in taxes
• Lindsay asked for $520mil tax package from Albany, but did not get it all
• Senate killed a bill that would allow the city to transfer $69mil in state aid to NYCTA
  • The state aid was $100mil from January 1966 to lessen the burden of settling the 1966 transit strike
  • Without being able to use this aid, fare rose 5 cents
• Source: "A 20-Cent Fare?," The New York Times, May 5, 1961. link
• Source: Richard L. Madden, "ALBANY DEFEATS MEASURE TO SAVE 15-CENT CITY FARE," The New York Times, June 2, 1966. link
• Source: Robert Alden, "TRANSIT FARE RISE OF 5 OR 10 CENTS CONSIDERED SURE," The New York Times, June 1, 1966. link
• Source: "REACTIONS MIXED TO 20-CENT FARE," The New York Times, July 6, 1966. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta transit-strike-1966

63rd St Tunnel Connection Opens

• Date: December 16, 2001
• Start of V service was delayed by 9/11
• V to run between Forest Hills-71 St and Second Avenue on the Lower East Side
• Expected to increase service on Queens Boulevard by up to 20%
• Uses $645mil tunnel connecting Queens Boulevard lines to 63 St Tunnel
• Source: "New Subway Line To Start," The New York Times, November 28, 2001. link
• Tags: expansion mta

Board of Estimate approves Second Avenue bond vote

• Source: "$500,000,000 VOTED FOR 2D AVE. SUBWAY BY ESTIMATE BOARD," The New York Times, September 14, 1951. link
• Tags: bonds mta second-avenue todo

Fare increases from $2.25 to $2.50

• Date: March 3, 2013
• Bonus decreased from 7% to 5%
• Board member Allen Cappelli noted the difference in conversation since 2010, "We're not talking about reducing services, I think that's good news for New Yorkers."
• Held public hearings throughout fall 2010 to give riders chance to discuss four fare package proposals
  • Riders wanted to keep the bonus and did not want to see big increase in 30-day pass price
  • 2010 increase on 30-day cards was $89 to $104, a 17% increase
• Lhota announced his resignation to run for mayor after December 18th board meeting
• Fare and toll increases expected to raise $450mil annually
• Board members wished for greater transit subsidies rather than biannual fare increases
• Source: "M.T.A. Weighs Who Will Pay When It Raises Transit Fares," The New York Times, October 12, 2012. link
• Source: mta
• Source: "Increase in Base Subway Fare and 30-Day Pass Is Approved," The New York Times, December 19, 2012. link
• Tags: fare-increases lhota mta

TWU Strike Averted

• Source: "Agreement Reached on Transit Contract," The New York Times, January 1, 1972. link
• Tags: labor mta todo twu

Fare increases from 30 cents to 35 cents

• Increase could rise to 45 cents due to new "trasit contract"
  • Depedendent on size of tax package to be considered in Albany
• MTA board had 11 members
• Could reuse old tokens or create new ones
• Fare increase required approval from Federal Price Commission
• Source: "Transit Fare Situation," The New York Times, January 2, 1972. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta

Fare increases from 5 cents to 10 cents

• Date: July 1, 1948
• $37.5mil increase in fare revenue during last 6 months of 1948 [2]
  • But 12% drop in ridership (25.5mil less)
• Average fare paid was 9.53 cents
  • Less than the actual fare of 10 cents because a combined subway and surface line fare was 12 cents
  • Rather than 10 cents plus 7 cents
• Other interesting items:
  • Board of Transportation added 1272 staff, 940 which "were permanent under civil service"
  • 14 deoderizing and germ-killing lamps were installed in IRT stations at Times Square and Grand Central
• Historically, transit was not required to be self-supporting because a fare increase would benefit private owners of "traction securities" [3]
  • No longer relevant since city now owned system
  • "Some of the cars in use are nearly forty years old"
  • City was providing $30mil annual subsidy to keep 5-cent fare using real estate taxes
  • Committee of Fifteen contained business, real estate, and industrial representatives
    • They proposed fare of 7.5 cents (2 for 15) to produce $45mil
      • Would cover $30mil current operational deficit
      • Allow $8mil for maintenance
      • And $7mil to replace old rolling stock
      • Allow for 6% cut in tax rate
      • And increase city's borrowing power, as the transit system would be operationally self-supporting ("making the transit debt self-liquidating"), which would allow for new subway construction
• In first 28 days of 10 cent fare (a 100% increase), rapid transit revenues only rose 69.77% [4]
  • Partly due to the 12 cent transit fares with transfer sold above
  • But also the institution of 16 free transfers between divisions
• Surface lines (bus and street car) fare increased from 5 to 7 cents, but only saw 18.96% rise in revenue [4]
  • All surface fare zones eliminated in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens
  • 2-cent transfer charge for Brooklyn surface lines eliminated
  • On 12 cent fare with transfer to rapid transit, surface lines only collecting share of 5 cents
    • seems like an internal NYCTA policy
• Source: Paul Crowell, "City Gains $37,520,822 in 6 Months Under New Fares, but Fewer Ride," The New York Times, February 17, 1949. link
• Source: "THE FIVE-CENT FARE," The New York Times, January 13, 1942. link
• Source: "TRANSIT REVENUES UP 56.77% IN JULY," The New York Times, August 14, 1948. link
• Source: "Report for the three and one-half years ending June 30, 1949.," The City of New York Board of Transportation, 82, 1949. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta reports

Fare increases from $2.50 to $2.75

• Date: March 22, 2015
• Increases scheduled to occur every two years as part of the "authority's long-term revenue plans"
• Using borrowing to close capital gap could increase pressure to raise fares faster than scheduled
  • This implies to me that debt service increases aren't scheduled, why not?
• Bonus for pay-per-ride MetroCards increased from 5% to 11%
• Board chose base fare increase against keeping base fare constant and eliminating the bonus
  • Bonus kept because advocates serves as important discount for riders who cannot afford weekly or monthly passes
  • Fare capping would also work
• Prendergast said increase needed to "balance budget agains the rising costs of providing services"
• Increase expected to generate $210mil in 2015
• Plan to unveil new fare payment system in 2020 and remove MetroCards by end of 2022
• Improved financial outlook in 2013 hinted at smaller increases for 2015 and 2017 [2]
  • Ridership and real estate revenues both up
  • "The regularly scheduled increases are part of a rescue plan approved by the State Legislature in 2009."
  • This plan reduced expected revenues by over $900mil
    • To be balanced by 3 years of "net zero" labor cost increases
• Source: Matt Flegenheimer, "M.T.A. Sees Smaller Fare Increases in ’15 and ’17," The New York Times, November 13, 2013. link
• Source: "M.T.A. Is Raising Fares and Tolls; One Subway or Bus Ride Will Cost $2.75," The New York Times, January 22, 2015. link
• Tags: fare-increases foran mta prendergast

Fare increases from 90 cents to $1

• Date: January 1, 1986
• Legislature saved 90-cent fare at end of 1984 by extending a corporate tax surcharge that helps subsidize mass transit in the NYC metro
• Increase came as Transit Authority faced potential $225mil operating defecit for 1986
  • When did they stop calling themselves the Transit Authority?
• Koch wanted to keep 90-cent fare for another year through a state increase of tax on real estate transactions greater than $1mil in the city
• Cuomo said keeping 90-cent fare was not in his priorities, and wanted the legislature to focus on medical malpractice insurance
  • Koch responded, "I mean, you have to be able to do more than chew gum."
• Source: "THE REGION; THE LAST DAYS OF THE 90-CENT FARE," The New York Times, December 8, 1985. link
• Tags: cuomo-mario fare-increases koch mta

Fare increases from 50 cents to 60 cents

• Date: June 28, 1980
• Carey refused to rule out another increase
• MNR referred to as "Conrail's commuter lines north of the city"
• Sidney Schwartz, New York state's special fiscal monitor for the city, warned that fares may have to rise to 75 cents in 1981 unless "the financially troubled Transit Authority gets more aid and improves its management."
• "Long Lines Expected" on Monday morning - MetroCard would eliminate this aspect of fare increases
  • Expected the morning rush to continue through 10 A.M., rather than the usual 9 A.M.
• Ravitch, in April 1980, expected rise would need to be 75 cents [3]
• Fiscal experts said 50-cent fare could be held with new tax on gross receipts by oil companies (yielding $150mil annually) and a surcharge on the gas tax (yielding $20mil annually) [4]
  • MTA budget showed $398mil deficit for fiscal year April 1, 1980 to March 31, 1981
  • Package expected to be supported by suburban voters because of minimal impact on them, including no commuter rail fare increases
  • 10-cent fare increase expected to provide $100mil increase in revenues
    • wonder what this is like today
  • Also necessary to hold 50-cent fare:
    • 25-cent toll increase to give $30mil to Transit Authority (today NYCT) and $30mil to commuter railroads
    • $56mil increase in subsidy from the city, from current $304.6mil
    • Additional $40mil "found" state budget through accounting differences
  • Strike increased 1979 deficit by $18.1mil and 1980 deficit by $92.7mil
    • $39.6mil gained penalties against strikers for violating state's Taylor Law
    • $26mil in lost fare revenues during the strike
    • $109.1mil lost in additional wages over 2 years
    • $19mil in additonal benefits payments
  • Productivity gains from new agreement with TWU estimated $15mil savings due to "addition of 20 minutes of productive work time"
    • assuming this means less overtime pay
• Source: "Transit Officials Brace for Rush on Tokens," The New York Times, June 30, 1980. link
• Source: "Ravitch Predicts 75 Transit Fare If Legislature Doesn't Act By July," The New York Times, April 21, 1980. link
• Source: David A. Andelman, "$170 Million in New Taxes Called the Key to 50 Fare," The New York Times, April 26, 1980. link
• Source: "Old and New Commuter Fares in New York Area," The New York Times, June 30, 1980. link
• Tags: carey fare-increases mta ravitch transit-strike-1980

Fare increases from 35 cents to 50 cents

• Interesting era for transit funding, with city in fiscal trouble and federal dollars for transit beginning: "In this city, so close to insolvency, little more can be expected in direct subsidy out of existing tax funds. But there is need for quick action on a new regional tax to underwrite mass transit, of the kind now under study by a state legislative committee. There is also need for more substantial financial support from Washington, now that the initial breakthrough has been made on Federal subsidy for both operating and capital costs."
• MTA ran a defecit, "even operating with more than a half-billion dollars in Federal, state and municipal subsidy"
• Article was a call for improved labor costs and work practices
• Mentions an experiment train that would have lower energy usage
  • not sure which model this would be
• Source: "Costlier Token," The New York Times, September 2, 1975. link
• Tags: fare-increases federal-assistance mta

Fare increases from 20 cents to 30 cents

• Date: January 4, 1970
• Old tokens could be redeemed for their 20 cent value, or used as 20 cents on buses
• 26 million new tokens were ordered
• Besides station booths, "900 additional outlets, including banks, shops, newstands and other private businesses that have been selling tokens in the past" would sell new ones
• Special fare from 42nd and 8th to Aqueduct raised from 75 cents to $1
  • I wonder how this was enforced
• Half fares for those over 65 remained in effect
• Old tokens would be put in storage for future need
• 370 Jay St was authority's revenue department, where you could redeem old tokens over $3
• Source: "New Tokens Go on Sale in Subways," The New York Times, January 3, 1970. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta

Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village Sold

• Sold to Tishman Speyer Properties for $5.4bil
• Built by MetLife
• Doctoroff had something to do with it link
• Source: "Sale of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village Goes Through Despite Some Tenants’ Efforts," The New York Times, November 18, 2006. link
• Tags: doctoroff housing nyc todo

MTA Courts Kiley

• Date: October 8, 1983
• Cuomo's counsel, Timothy Russert, sat with Kiley at Fenway during Yaz Day (Carl Yastrzemski's last game) to discuss the MTA job
• The govenor's staff's codename for Kiley was "The Badge," "because he had been Deputy Mayor in charge of public safety in Boston from 1972 to 1975 and before that a C.I.A. official"
• Source: "THE SECRET COURTING OF ROBERT KILEY," The New York Times, October 8, 1983. link
• Tags: kiley mta

Ravitch Commission

• Date: December 4, 2008
• Ravitch Commission unveils report on suggestions to close $1.2 billion deficit for 2009, after real estate transfer taxes and NYS corporate surcharge tax revenues dropped during the recession and Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan failed in the state legislature
• Source: pcac
• Source: "Ravitch Unveils M.T.A. Rescue Plan," The New York Times, December 4, 2008. link
• Tags: mta ravitch ravitch-commission

de Blasio pushes for "Millionaire's Tax"

• Date: August 7, 2017
• Would increase city income tax rate for those making over $500k from 3.9% to 4.4%
• Expected to be paid by 32,000 NYers
• Expected to raise $700-$800mil annually
  • $500mil for capital costs, $250mil for half-price MetroCard program
• Must pass state legislature
• Source: "Bill de Blasio Will Push for Tax on Wealthy to Fix Subway," The New York Times, August 6, 2017. link
• Tags: de-blasio mta taxes

Conducting a Search For Origins Of 'One Fare'

• Date: 1997
• Article ran on day of MetroCard's introduction (July 4, 1997)
• Peter Stangl (MTA chair in 1992) proposed "fare deal" to offset 25-cent fare hike with discounts and free transfers
• Richard Ravitch (MTA chair in 1982) considered automated turnstile to allow riders from outer boroughs to reach Manhattan on a single fare
• Source: nyc
• Source: nyt
• Tags: fares mta

William J. Ronan, former MTA chair, dies

• Source: "William J. Ronan, Architect of the M.T.A., Dies at 101," The New York Times, October 18, 2014. link
• Tags: mta ronan

Congestion pricing dies after failing to reach a vote in the State Assembly

• Date: April 7, 2008
• Would have created $8 fee to enter parts of Manhattan
• Would have raised $500mil annually and unlocked $354mil in immediate federal grants
• Source: "Congestion Pricing Plan Dies in Albany," The New York Times, April 7, 2008. link
• Tags: congestion-pricing mta

MTA approves budget cuts that remove V and W trains

• Date: March 24, 2010
• Source: "Transit Agency Approves Cuts, and More Bad News Looms," The New York Times, March 25, 2010. link
• Tags: budget mta

New York State Transportation Bond Act

• Date: 2005
• Provided $1.45 billion towards 2005-2009 MTA capital program from state (state assumes debt service….I think)
• Source: mta
• Source: "Voters Approve Transit Bonds for $2.9 Billion," The New York Times, November 9, 2005. link
• Tags: bonds mta

Fare increases from $1.25 to $1.50

• Date: November 12, 1995
• Board voted to increase fare to $1.50 on October 19, 1995, a 20% increase
• To take effect on November 12
  • One week delay cost the MTA $5.3mil
  • New token introduced to prevent hoarding, last before MetroCard
• 20% increases had been avoided since 1984 by Govenor or Mayor eventually providing more funds
• E. Virgil Conway was MTA chair at the time
• New York Urban League and Straphanger's Campaign said they would sue MTA in federal court saying the fare increase would "violate the 1964 Civil Rights Act because it would affect the poor, blacks and Hispanic people most heavily"
  • did this happen?
• Canceled fare increase on express buses from $4 to $5, saying they wouldn't be able to compete with private buses
  • Express buses are biggest money losers in the system
• Source: "THE $1.50 SUBWAY RIDE: THE OVERVIEW;M.T.A. VOTE RAISES FARE ON SUBWAYS AND BUSES TO $1.50," The New York Times, October 20, 1995. link
• Tags: conway fare-increases mta

Reagan Administration says MTA violated international trade agreements

• Date: May 28, 1982
• Canadian Export Development Corporation agreed to lend the MTA $563mil (85% of $662mil car purchase price) at 9.7% for 15 years
  • OECD minimum rate at the time was 11.25% for terms of length 5-8.5 years
• Source: "U.S. SEES VIOLATION OF TRADE ACCORDS IN M.T.A. PROPOSAL," The New York Times, May 29, 1982. link
• Tags: mta ravitch

Bob Dole denounces $100mil MTA leasing deal

• Date: April 9, 1982
• Source: "DOLE SEES 'HORROR STORY' IN M.T.A. LEASING DEAL," The New York Times, April 9, 1982. link
• Tags: mta ravitch

NY State Legislature approves 5 taxes to provide MTA operating assistance

• Date: July 10, 1981
• Avoided fare increase from $0.75 to $1
• Five taxes:
  • "The gross-receipts tax on the oil companies."
  • "An increase in the state sales tax of a quarter of a cent on the dollar in the region served by the M.T.A. The tax would be computed by rounding up to the nearest whole cent for fractions of 0.5 cents or more and rounding down for fractions under 0.5 cents."
  • "A 10 percent tax on capital gains in real-estate transfers of more than $1 million within New York City."
  • "A tax based on the net income and capital of oil companies' outof-state and international operations."
  • "A corporate franchise tax of 0.75 percent on the gross returns from the in-state portion of interstate communications and commercial transport." Known as the "long lines" tax.
• I think these all still exist. Should annotate individually.
• Source: Richard J. Meislin, "FARE RISES TO 75 CENTS; TRANSIT TAX PLAN DRAWN IN ALBANY," The New York Times, July 3, 1981. link
• Source: "FIVE TAXES VOTED IN ALBANY TO GIVE MASS-TRANSIT AID," The New York Times, July 10, 1981. link
• Tags: mta taxes

Third Avenue El closes in the Bronx

• Date: April 29, 1973
• Last stretch to close was between Gun Hill Road and 149th St
• Ran 12 blocks east of the IND Concourse Line
• Replaced with buses seemingly to lower an operating defecit
• Source: "Third Ave. El Reaches the End of Its Long, Noisy, Blighted, Nostalgic Line," The New York Times, April 29, 1973. link
• Tags: elevated mta

Ronan pleads for 1971 state transportation bond issue

• Date: October 5, 1971
• It would fail at the ballot a month later
• $2.5bil issue would be split $1.35bil for transit and $1.15bil for highways
  • A rarity to have transit amount greater than highways, and Ronan knew it
• Ronan said new bond would be used to improve existing systems, since riders complained that 1967 bond showed little tangible benefits (spent mostly on Second Avenue Subway?)
• Fare would go to 45 or 50 cents (from 30) if bond didn't pass
  • Isn't this mixing capital and operating expenses?
  • Yes, but some capital projects were already being paid out of farebox income
  • This was pre-capital program, so my details on all this are weak right now
• Source: "Ronan Calls Bond-Issue Vote Key to Stable Subway Fares," The New York Times, October 5, 1971. link
• Tags: bonds mta ronan

Fare raised from $1.15 to $1.25

• Date: January 1, 1992
• Took effect at midnight, handwritten signs announced day before
  • Passengers only allowed to buy 4 tokens at old fare to prevent hoarding
  • Created new physical token to prevent use of slugs (does this mean fakes?)
• Peter E. Stangl was MTA chairman at the time
• MTA required by state to produce a balanced budget
  • The board voted 12-to-2 to approve this budget even though it was technically not balanced
• Faced $263mil budget defecit, fare increase lowered this to $157mil
  • To fully close the gap, the increase would have needed to be to $1.40
  • Not sure how the $157mil ended up being found, need more sources
  • It was discussed to transfer $90mil from relatively healthy LIRR and MNR, which was contentious because of:
    • it would represent a suburban->urban transfer (which was opposed by Republication legislators)
    • and because of transfer of capital funds to operating funds
      • Senate Transportation Committee chairman Norman Levy claimed this, but MTA officials denied this
      • Levy argued this transfer would be similar to 1960s and 70s, when MTA several deferred maintenance on its infrastructure
• Subway and bus farebox recovery was 61% in 1991, commuter railroads was less than 50%
• Operating deficit was caused by a sharp downturn in the local economy
• Source: Sam Howe Verhovek, "G.O.P. Senator Opposes Using Rail Funds to Limit Subway Fare," The New York Times, December 5, 1991. link
• Source: "Token price rises 10 cents to $1.25 in New York City," The New York Times, January 1, 1992. link
• Tags: fare-increases mta stangl

Board of Estimate approves Second Avenue Subway and 11 other new routes

• Program cost of $1.26bil was to be split
  • $600mil from state from bond issue ($2.5bil approved by voters in November 1967)
  • $500mil from city, "borrowed through its capital-budget allocations"
  • rest from federal
• Changed SAS plan from four track to two tracks
• Source: "City Approves 2d Ave. Subway And 11 Other New Transit Line," The New York Times, September 21, 1968. link
• Tags: expansion mta second-avenue

63rd St Tunnel Location Debated

• Date: 1964
• CBC thought tunnel on 61st St would lead to better East Side IRT and future line connections
• Source: "Proposed Subway Tube Assailed As 'Nowhere-to-Nowhere' Lin," The New York Times, December 16, 1964. link
• Tags: expansion mta

Edward Kresky

• Early MAC appointee
• Served as deputy under William Ronan both for Govenor Rockefeller and MTA
• Source: "Edward Kresky, 88, calmed fiscal panic," The New York Times, January 31, 2013. link
• Tags: mac nyc people

Commuter Tax Repealed

• Date: May 18, 1999
• Was 0.45 of 1% income tax on commuters in the state who work in New York City
• Would reduce city revenue by $210m (or up to $360m, if courts rule tax now discriminates against out-of-state commuters (apparently this remained at the time, NEED SOURCE FOR RESULT OF THIS))
• Mayor Giuliani opposed, Gov. Pataki signed, week before special election for State Senate seat in Rockland/Orange counties (NW of NYC)
• City enjoyed $2b surplus at the time, Republicans intended measure to lighten tax burder on suburban residents
• "The Mayor asserted that the city had a right to ask commuters to contribute to the costs of police, fire and other services."
• Source: "Legislature Acts Quickly To Repeal Commuter Tax," The New York Times, May 18, 1999. link
• Tags: nyc taxes