Long Island commuters got slammed all around Sunday — with MTA rate hikes taking effect for everything from the LIRR to Nassau County buses, city subways and E-ZPass.
Long Island Rail Road ticket prices jumped between 4.5% and 8%, while regular tickets on Nassau Inter-County Express buses increased 10 cents to $3.
In New York City, bus and subway fares also rose by 10 cents to go along with a slew of policy changes such as removing round-trip and 10-trip tickets in favor of day passes that are good for unlimited rides until 4 a.m. the day after purchase.
And for those thinking they can skirt the new mass-transit pricing by driving, think again: MTA bridge and tunnel tolls are also going up by 7.5% — and that’s in addition to Manhattan’s congestion pricing tax.
“This sucks,” said Baxter Williams, who lives on Long Island and regularly commutes on the LIRR from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station in Manhattan for work, to The Post.
LIRR monthly and weekly passes will now be anywhere between $7 to $21 more, depending on the station, while one-way tickets and others will see that massive 8% increase.
“It’s like having a second car payment — instead of fixing any of the real issues we see, they decide to inconvenience us all around,” Williams said, complaining about the new rules and prices and detailing that a monthly ticket for him would now cost just under $400.
As part of the new changes starting Sunday, the MetroCard is also being phased out for the One Metro New York’s (OMNY) one-tap digital wallet system, which means that Nassau’s NICE bus riders will lose access to weekly and monthly unlimited passes as well.
In their place, the MTA is rolling out a fare-capping system in which riders can pay for up to 12 trips within a seven-day period, after which all additional rides are free, ensuring no one pays more than $35 in a week.
But Nassau County Executive and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman blamed Gov. Kathy Hochul for many of the price hikes.
“Enough is enough with Kathy Hochul’s empty promises on affordability,” Blakeman fired back. “Hochul rammed through congestion pricing – a new tax on drivers – bragging it would fund the MTA and ease burdens.
“So much for that fairy tale! Now, with congestion cash rolling in, fares are skyrocketing for the very commuters who can’t afford another hit.”
Despite complaints from riders on the new changes, the MTA has called them necessary, saying the extra dough provides safe, “fair” and reliable services, adding that the hikes keep up with inflation.
MTA CEO Janno Lieber has said constant, “opportunistic” fare evasion was factored into the agency’s price hikes.
“You gotta remember what is really driving affordability issues in New York, and it’s not transit,” Lieber claimed.
Blakeman said he would crack down on fare beaters.
MTA officials also pointed out that the new monthly LIRR ticket prices are still below what they cost in 2019, after the agency lowered its fares by 10% during the COVID-19 pandemic to boost ridership.
In addition, a small population of riders could end up actually paying less otherwise under the new fare plan, which includes expanded discounts and new savings programs.
For the first time ever, reduced fares for seniors and riders with disabilities will apply during peak hours, while the LIRR’s Family Fare program is expanding to allow children up to age 17 to ride for $1 with a ticketed adult, up from the previous cutoff age of 11.
The railroad is also rolling out new options it says could save frequent riders money, including a free 11th ride after 10 trips in a 14-day period.
