Commute From Hudson Valley to NYC To Increase Significantly

The MTA is planning on significantly increasing fares twice over the next three years.

On Wednesday, the MTA announced they are sticking with their plan to increase fares by 4% in 2019 and another 4% in 2021.

The fare increase was announced during a board meeting. Specifics on the increases weren't announced and likely won't be known until public hearings in late 2018, NBC reports.

In 2017, fares were increased on Metro-North, subways, buses and the Long Island Railroad by 4%.

Even with the fare increases, the MTA predicts significant deficits for the next few years. The MTA believes they will lose $376 million in fares over the next four years, about $90 million a year, the New York Post reports.

Mass-transit delays, Uber, Lyft and people not paying their fares are a few reasons why profits are down, officials say.

“We’re not unique,” MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said according to the New York Daily News. “That said, I think it’s a combination of a couple of things – it's service, it’s for-hire vehicles, it's fare evasion. When you have choice you take advantage of the choice."