MTA fare hikes have been declared, but activists still aim to fight them

In a recent public service announcement, hip-hop superstar Cardi B, the new voice of the MTA's subway system, discourages subway surfing. "Ride safe, keep it cute, and keep it moving," she says. In another, she informs people, "These trains don't move without you, so make sure you pay that fare and keep it real.

- By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO

Members of TheFareAin'tFair campaign rallied against fare increases in front of MTA's headquarters this past March.

(Fare Ain't Fair Coalition photos)

However, even Cardi B's influence may not be enough to soften the blow of the MTA's upcoming fare increase, set to take effect in January 2026. Subway and local bus fares will rise to $3 starting then. Reduced fares for seniors and people with disabilities will be $1.50, while express bus fares will increase to $7.25. Families with children might benefit from an expanded Family Fare program, which now makes children aged 5 to 17 eligible to ride for $1 when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, up from the previous age limit of 11, but riders in communities like the Highbridge area of the Bronx, where Cardi grew up, will likely struggle to afford these increases.

While the MTA insists the increase is necessary to sustain the transit system and is below the rate of inflation, critics argue that this ongoing cycle of fare hikes criminalizes poverty and disproportionately affects the city's working class, many of whom are Black and Latino New Yorkers. MTA fares generally increase every two years. There was a temporary freeze during the COVID-19 pandemic, but then the fare rose from $2.75 to $2.90 in August 2023 and is planned to increase by 4% in January 2026.

The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) has noted that over 60% of low-income residents in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island rely on public transportation to commute to work.