Some Metro-North & LIRR riders could get a discount when NYC congestion pricing starts. Here's who.
NEW YORK -- As New York City prepares for the start of congestion pricing this summer, some Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North riders in the city could see savings.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board is expected to approve a 10% discount on monthly tickets for fare zones within the five boroughs.
"So we're discounting the monthly tickets for folks who ride from, you know, Woodlawn or Morris Park or, you know, other neighborhoods in the Bronx, Jamaica, Bayside, Douglaston. So that people can use the commuter rail system and save time," MTA Chair Janno Lieber said in an interview Monday.
In other words, it's for riders who take the train from one station in the city to another.
There is a catch, however.
We're learning it's part of a year-long pilot program that's expected to offset the costs of riding the commuter rail.
"The implementation of congestion pricing presents an opportunity to attract customers to transit with additional options for travel within the Congestion Relief Zone that are affordable, fast and convenient," said MTA Deputy Chief Financial Officer Jai Patel.
What discounts would be available?
The fare pilot promotion would start July 1, the day after congestion pricing launches.
On the LIRR, a monthly ticket between Jamaica and Penn Station or Grand Central would go from $220 to $198, saving $22 a month. As for Metro-North, a monthly ticket between Grand Central Terminal and the northern Bronx would go from $199.75 to $180, a savings of nearly $20.
The MTA Board is expected to vote Tuesday on the year-long pilot program.
Drivers in the Bronx said they appreciate the fare reduction, but 10% isn't appealing enough to take the commuter rail instead.
"Not everyone wants to take public transportation. The streets are so bad and the Metro-North is OK. It's not that dangerous. But MTA is really dangerous. The bus is really dangerous. Who wants to do that? I mean, you want to drive your car. I don't think it's fair," Erika Salavarria said.
"I feel like most people from the Bronx are taking the subway into the city than taking the Metro-North," said Jordan Evans. "I don't think it's going to do much."
According to the MTA, discounts would be funded through the state's Outer Borough Transportation Account. The small transit fund was created in 2019 when congestion pricing was signed into law.
How does NYC congestion pricing work?
The MTA announced last week it plans to start congestion pricing on June 30, charging most drivers $15 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.
The newly dubbed "Congestion Relief Zone" includes the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Queensboro Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge, as well as the Holland Tunnel, Hugh Carey Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
More than 100 cameras have been installed to scan drivers' E-ZPass and license plates as they enter the zone.
The MTA says the new tolls will cost about 50% more for drivers who do not have E-ZPass, and there will be a $5 credit for drivers who do use E-ZPass when they take the tunnels during peak hours.
Peak hours are scheduled from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekends.
See our map of the congestion zone, plus a full breakdown of the fees.
Calls for NYC congestion pricing exemptions
While some exemptions will be available, several officials and organizations have filed lawsuits against to stop the plan.
New York Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai says the new toll "cannot come at a worse time for yellow cab drivers."
"The summer is already really slow. Some months in August in Manhattan feel like a ghost town. With this third tax on taxi fares, we know ridership is going to come down, so it feels like it's going to be a pretty devastating summer," she told CBS New York. "Drivers are already working six to seven days a week, 10 to 12 hours a day. They cannot work more to make up for these losses."
Desai said this will be the third tax drivers face, in addition to a $2.50 tax from 2019 and 50 cents dating back to 2009. She noted the mayor's office came out in support of an exemption for taxis, or at least a bill that would mitigate the existing taxes.
"We plan to work with the city and the state to really prevent what we think could be a massive crisis here," she said, adding the MTA has acknowledged ridership is expected to go down.