Some good news for commuters was announced on Tuesday, April 30, with the MTA board approving some pilot programs to make public transit a more attractive option ahead of congestion pricing going live in June. Agency officials announced they will offer a 10% reduction on the price of monthly commuter rail tickets within New York City and will also increase service frequency on six popular express bus routes from Brooklyn and Staten Island to the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan.

 

MTA officials said both programs are designed to appeal to people in the outer boroughs who might consider switching to transit from driving into the Manhattan Central Business District. They said the programs are funded by the Outer Borough Transportation Account, created in 2018 by the New York State Legislature to provide $50 million per year to improve transportation in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island in association with congestion pricing.

 

Offcials said the commuter rail monthly ticket discounts would begin in July, and added that they come on top of existing 10% discounts put in place systemwide on the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road in March 2022, to encourage post-pandemic ridership recovery. They added that the latest programs complement the expansion of City Tickets. The latter are “highly discounted,” one-way tickets valid for travel within New York City which began in March 2022 with weekend-only tickets and off-peak train rides and expanded to peak train rides in August 2023.

 

Announcing the new programs, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Building on the best subway service in decades and historic on-time performance on Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road, now the MTA is taking another big step by increasing frequency on express buses and expanding commuter rail affordability.” He added, “These are the kinds of investments outer borough commuters want to see, and the State Legislature understands that – as proven by this year’s budget.”

 

The news was welcomed by Bronx Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who represents much of the Northwest Bronx. “I fully support the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) pilot programs to provide alternatives to driving into Manhattan post-congestion pricing,” Dinowitz said. “These initiatives include a 10% reduction in commuter rail ticket prices and increased peak service on 21 express bus routes, funded by the Outer Borough Transportation Account.”

 

The assemblyman added, “They signify a crucial investment in improving transportation infrastructure across The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, incentivizing rail and bus ridership to alleviate road congestion and prioritize public transit users. Starting in July, the proposed commuter rail discounts complement existing efforts to boost post-pandemic ridership, while the expansion of City Ticket enhances commuter accessibility and affordability. I commend the MTA’s proactive approach and anticipate positive impacts on our city’s mobility.”

 

The Metro-North has 13 stations in The Bronx, as well as a stop in Harlem, and the LIRR has 24 stations in Brooklyn and Queens, according to MTA officials. They said CityTicket will also be valid for travel to and from Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station, and reconfirmed that the Metro-North service will expand to the East Bronx following the completion of Penn Station Access, which, as reported, will add four new Metro-North stations at Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, and Co-Op City.

 

The MTA estimates the cost of the 10% discount to monthly tickets will be $4 million per year, and the cost of the enhanced express bus service will be $883,000 per year. MTA officals said the costs will be totally paid for by the Outer Borough Transportation Account, which is also funding toll rebates announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2023 for Bronx residents who use the Henry Hudson Bridge, and Queens residents who use the Cross Bay Bridge.