I am not outraged. I had not heard until you wrote something here. The MTA is doing what any company has to do these days. Think about the bottom dollar and how it can make money. Think about the overall entire MTA sytem. Buses, Subways, the Metro North running all the way to Poughkeepsie, the LIRR running all the way to Montauk. Every Station, for every subway. Think about all the people the MTA has to employ to keep the system running, the parts it has to buy, the tracks it has to replace. Signals. Floods. Terrorism. Giant Rats. If the MTA had money the Subway platforms wouldn't be standing ovens, wouldn't flood at the slightest hint of rain, would be on time, look prettier and run smoother. It takes a lot of revenue to make this happen. I don't have a number, but I'd imagine at least 1 million people use some form of the MTA Octopus in any given day. The number is likely much higher since there around 8 million plus people living in NYC. The MTA has to do what it can to make ends meet. I'd reckon they can raise the rates advertisers pay to advertise in the train or on a bus or station. That would be the quick and easy solution, but then those advertisers will charge us more for their goods because they are also trying to make money. So we run around in circles. My advice? Move to a more modern city, or work from home.

You make a good point, alchematics. The only problem is that I have yet to see my ROI from the last subway fare increase a few months ago! Have they taken the money to hire more staff (the subways are still slow as ever), have they taken the money to provide some ventilation or air conditioning on the subway platforms (I still become overheated waiting for the subway to arrive). I love that I can rely on public transportation in the absence of a car and I don't mind paying for it IF the money is being put to good use. And if it is, I sure haven't seen it yet.

i'll agree that the public transportation in new york is the best deal in public transportation out there. however, i don't want them to raise the cost without me seeing some sort of result.