MTA talks like they've struck oil with this fare capping idea—but I imagine it's making people ride a lot less The vast majority of NYers can float $34/$132 cash (or on a credit card that doesn't have to be paid until the end of the next month). For those that can't, Fair Fares is a better solution
It would be a fine idea if the multiple were actually attainable and they made it obvious once you’ve hit it. But as it is, it’s just them accidentally stumbling into ending the pass product.
Yeah, it's only an appealing product to the one group who doesn't need it to be appealed to, people commuting 4-5 days a week into Manhattan.
And even at that it's redundant, they would be just as appealed to by a weekly or monthly pass priced at the same levels.
Realistically you need to be commuting five days a week (or have a very active social life that requires lots of travel), because you need to take 13 trips to benefit.
I don't know if 5 non-work trips(2 round trips and an odd stop) is a crazy number to hit, but that that's what we're talking about to hit the cap certainly highlights the crumminess of this product
Essentially it seems like the MTA is just trying to wring the in-office commuter for their full fare value, and induce zero demand otherwise
Even the traditional 9-to-5 M-F commuters wouldn't get the unlimited passes pre-pandemic since the math wouldn't work out. But one you had it, taking the Subway for marginal trips was no big deal.
Yes, because the reason London invented fare capping wasn't for the indigent, it was because the Tube's zone system is so complex that passengers would otherwise not know in advance whether to get a pass or not. In New York, with its simple flat fare, it's pointless.
They spent a lot of money installing a fairly large full color LCD screen at every single turnstile that provides almost no information beyond green/red. Is instead of alternated between $2.90 and FREE! when you tapped it could encourage more rides
I’m not sure it’s pointless. Imagine someone who unpredictably stops using the system sometimes (maybe business trips, maybe wfh, whatever). This person may save a lot by not paying the full weekly or monthly fare. Admittedly the tradeoff is often not knowing when your incremental fare is $0.
No, it is pointless; unpredictable business trips don't make people stop getting monthlies when the monthlies are properly priced, and wfh tends to be bifurcated between drivers and people who ride a lot for non-work trips.
I guess all I can say is it’s not pointless for me, it saves me money and I would not be buying monthly passes even without fare capping