More New Yorkers are eligible for half-priced subway, bus fares

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – More New Yorkers can now get 50% off subway and bus fares thanks to an expansion of the Fair Fares program in next year’s budget, Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday.

Now, any New Yorker making up to 145% of the federal poverty level will qualify for the program. For example, a family of four would need to make under $53,041 per year combined. For a household of one, the cap is just over $21,800 per year. 

New York City residents between the ages of 18 and 64 who meet income requirements can register for Fair Fares. The program applies to MetroCards and Access-A-Ride services, providing special cards that charge 50% of regular prices for single ride, 7-day, 30-day and unlimited swipes on subways and eligible buses.

Fair Fares discounts were previously capped at 120% of the federal poverty level, capping a household of one at just over $18,000 per year. 

The expansion will include a hundreds of thousands of new locals, and there are already over 335,000 New Yorkers paying half price for their MetroCards, according to Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

But advocates say there’s still work to be done. The program should expand to include families making up to 200% of the federal poverty line, according to Daglian. For a family of five, that would be a combined income of just over $73,000 per year. 

“Hundreds of thousands more New Yorkers will be eligible for Fair Fares – a huge step forward in opening the door to more equitable access to opportunity across the five boroughs that transit brings,” Daglian said.

“As our city’s affordability crisis becomes increasingly apparent, Fair Fares is one of the simplest and most cost-effective tools we have to support working New Yorkers.”