Mike Stanton, MNRCC Member
August 19, 2025
Good evening. My name is Mike Stanton and I am speaking as a member of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council, and as a long-time Westchester resident who travels regularly on Metro-North.
First, we support the moderate fare increase that will help keep the system running and budget balanced. MNRCC and the full Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee also strongly support the proposal to allow seniors and riders with disabilities to use their half-fare discount during the morning peak hours. PCAC has long advocated for this common-sense change, and we appreciate your responsiveness to rider concerns.
However, some of the fare policy changes proposed are complex, and should be subject to additional discussion before moving forward. We are concerned this abbreviated public comment period will not allow that to happen. We need a solution that simultaneously makes riders’ lives easier, ensures that the MTA collects fares for all riders, and works well for front-line workers dealing with the public.
I am particularly concerned about the possibility that the policy changes could lead to effective fare increases for some riders that are well above the average. For instance, the proposal for both digital and paper tickets to auto-activate and expire four hours after purchase could make collection more efficient and reduce fare evasion, but it’s also important to provide options for riders who need more flexibility. The loss of the ten-trip tickets would similarly reduce flexibility and could add substantial cost.
PCAC members and staff have already spent hours studying these proposals to try and spot those “shadow increases” that may not be equitably distributed and could ultimately discourage ridership. That work is complicated and takes time: Holding more hearings around the MTA region would help to gather a range of perspectives and provide a more complete understanding of the impacts. We’re confident that with discussion between riders, workers, and the MTA, we can settle on a fare collection system that works for everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.