Commuters brace for fare hikes on LIRR

Long Island Rail Road passengers are bracing for a moderate increase in ticket prices, approximately 4.3 percent. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority recently voted unanimously to implement the fare hike.

This marks the first increase in base fares for the LIRR in four years, and it is scheduled to take effect on or around Aug. 20.

The cost of a one-way ticket from Long Beach to Manhattan during peak hours will rise from $14 to $14.50. During non-peak hours, the fare will increase from $10.25 to $10.75.

Normally, the MTA reviews fares every two years, but the agency deferred increases in 2021 due to concerns that they might deter commuters from using public transportation at a time when encouraging their return was essential. Additionally, the MTA had access to significant funds from federal coronavirus pandemic relief programs, which helped alleviate financial pressures.

Nonetheless, many commuters have expressed frustration with the increases, citing inconveniences caused by schedule changes and issues with connections to Atlantic Terminal. Jason Ortiz, a Freeport resident, voiced his concerns on Facebook, criticizing the fare hikes on top of the existing station issues.

“When was the Freeport LIRR station last remodeled?” Ortiz wrote. “Ours is dingy compared to many on the Babylon Branch such as Merrick. The newsstand, taxi stand, and coffee shop have all disappeared too, a testament to the station’s deterioration.”

Earlier this year, the MTA announced a projected $2.5 billion budget deficit by 2025. To mitigate potential service cuts and financial disaster, Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers in Albany committed to making millions of dollars in additional funding available to help stabilize the agency’s finances.

In her 2024 executive budget address, Hochul acknowledged the challenges posed by the MTA’s fiscal challenges, attributing them to the sharp decline in ridership caused by the pandemic.

“We have to face the harsh reality of MTA’s fiscal cliff,” Hochul noted. “A problem that was created by almost the complete cessation of ridership during the pandemic, except for emergency workers, first responders and health care workers.”

The fare increases come just six months after the opening of the Grand Central Madison terminal, which provides commuters more convenient access to Manhattan’s East Side.

Colleen Hennessy, a school counselor and department chair at a high school in Manhattan, has been commuting from Freeport for 11 years.

The train commute is a practical and cost-effective option for her, Hennessy said, especially considering the alternative of long daily drives, wear and tear on her car, and the expense of tolls and gas.

“I prefer (the train) over driving,” she said, “because you don’t get tired, and while the ride into Manhattan would take me about 45 minutes early in the morning, regardless of what time I would leave, it would take at least two to three hours to get home. And so the nice thing about taking the train is you can rest, you can sleep, you can read, so it’s some downtime.”

But Hennessy also noted the recent surge in crowding on the trains, particularly since the opening of Grand Central Madison. She explained that the addition of more train options has resulted in many shorter trains, leading to cramped conditions during peak commuting hours.

Hennessy said she understood that fare increases are an inevitable part of maintaining a reliable and efficient transit system. But she urged the MTA to prioritize the quality of service in return for those fare hikes, in the form of improved train capacity, better scheduling and more safety measures on trains and in subway stations.

“I think it’s a matter of, are they looking at how the money is being spent?” she said. “And is it being spent appropriately? And at the same time, are they providing the services that people are paying for in a way that’s safe and comfortable?”

Critics maintain that the MTA’s financial woes have roots in decades of questionable budgetary practices, leading to expenses consistently outpacing revenue.

The fare increases are part of a roughly $1.3 billion bailout agreement negotiated between the MTA and the state, the agency’s chair and chief executive, Janno Lieber, confirmed.

On balance, with the LIRR having reduced some fares by 10 percent last year, Lieber said. “The fares are still (comparatively) lower than they used to be, even though everything else in life has gone up.”

For more information on the fare increases, go to tinyurl.com/MTARateHike2023.