By Jennifer R Jones | Posted on November 02, 2009 12:00 PM
New York City Taxis See Their First Fare Increase Since 2004 From $2.50 To $3.00 In An Effort By State Officials To Help The MTA With Their $1.8 Billion Deficit
Fare Increases For New York Taxis
If your taxi ride seems pricier than it did last week, you’re not hallucinating: A fare increase went into effect in New York City yesterday (Sunday, Nov.1). Merely getting into a cab will now cost you 50 cents more than it did on Saturday: The fare has been raised from $2.50 to $3.00.
But the extra money isn’t going into the drivers’ pockets: the surcharge was ordered by state officials to help the MTA with a massive (1.8 billion dollar) shortfall.
First Increase Since 2004
Although it may seem like fares get higher and higher every day in New York, this is actually the first fare increase since the $2 fare was raised in 2004. Each additional fifth of a mile will stay at 40 cents. The city has 13,237 licensed yellow cabs; the surcharge on fares will bring in about $85 million.
Other parts of the plan include a payroll tax of 34 cents per $100 on employers in 12 counties served by the authority. An increase on bus and subway fares went into effect last June. No one said New York was cheap, but this kind of increase will most definitely be felt by riders. It’s being done without a huge amount of fanfare, either, so many who glance at the fare may be surprised. While you’re saving your quarters, may we suggest walking?
