View Letter to MTA

-- Urges Weeknight Pilot Program in Reduced-Fare Program --

Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today urged the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to expand its CityTicket program, which offers reduced weekend fares for travel within the city limits on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.

Initiated in 2003, CityTicket offers a flat $3 fare for travel between any two New York City stations on the Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North Railroad on Saturday or Sunday. The reduced-fare program has had modest success with approximately 19,300 CityTickets sold each weekend in 2006 according to the MTA.

In a letter to MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow, Thompson urged that some of the restrictions on the use of CityTickets be relaxed to encourage greater participation by New Yorkers.

“CityTicket allows New Yorkers to use Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road to travel to destinations at a great price,” Thompson said. “Expanding the program to include Shea Stadium and weekday nights will allow more New Yorkers to take advantage of this excellent program.”

Expanding the CityTicket program would not only offer new Yorkers more travel options, but also could mean significantly shorter rides, especially during non-peak hours when subway and buses run less frequently.

In his letter, Thompson proposes that the MTA:

• allow CityTickets to be valid for weekend travel to and from Shea Stadium;
  
• institute a trial program allowing CityTicket use between 10pm and 6am daily, not exclusively on weekends;
  
• allow CityTickets to remain valid for 30 days from date of purchase, as opposed to the current requirement that they be used on the day of purchase;
  
• allow CityTickets to be used on New Haven line trains to and from Fordham Road;
  
• allow CityTickets to be used for intra-borough travel with a transfer at Jamaica Station;
  
• promote the CityTicket-Air Train combination for weekend travel on the LIRR to and from John F. Kennedy airport.

According to Thompson, expansion of the program would boost ridership and give New Yorkers more travel options. “For example, permitting Fordham Road customers to use New Haven trains would provide them with access to approximately 35 additional trains on Saturdays and 21 trains on Sundays. Eased CityTicket restrictions would also benefit New York City Transit’s Flushing Line customers who will soon experience additional weekend service diversions for the installation of Communications Based Train Control on that line.”