Join me in testifying AGAINST Metro-North Fare Hikes

Below is my testimony AGAINST the proposed Metro-North fare hike, please read it and then write your own!

The Department of Transportation will be accepting written testimony on the Metro-North fare hike proposal until September 15th to submit yours.

If you feel strongly that Connecticut’s commuters shouldn’t have to pay more for the same services this is a great opportunity to get involved.

To submit testimony, simply email it to [email protected] and cc my office [email protected] and I will make sure your voice is heard.

Testimony in Opposition to Metro-North Fare Hike Proposal

By Senator Toni Boucher

Here is a feature of life in Connecticut that has become dishearteningly regular. The people of our state protest that they cannot accommodate another demand on their wallets. The state responds by doing just that, and with a knack for making the impact as deeply felt as possible. There are few areas where the effect of greater expense is more immediate than on the daily commute. This is already a challenging cost for some to meet, and will become more so if the proposed 5% fare increase for Metro North takes effect.

Metro-North is a lifeline for the commuting public, and with over 40 million riders each year, the New Haven Line is the busiest rail corridor in the nation. It relieves congestion on our already overcrowded highways, and brings people to and from the jobs that support its operation, and the operation of the state as a whole.

It does not always do so in the most effective and affordable manner. The latest proposed fare hike is the latest in a series to afflict Metro North passengers, who have seen the price of their daily tickets rise every year since 2012. On top of annual, regularly scheduled increases of 1% to pay for new rail cars, the state imposed rate hikes of 4 % in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Raising the price further is sure to solidify the impression, already widespread, that riders are paying for better service than they receive. Metro-North’s recent history has been one of lackluster performance and concerning safety issues. Despite some late improvements, commuters remain frustrated by railroad’s lapses in quality and reliability, which persist even as its ticket price lurches steadily upward.

How much longer can this trend continue, before our transportation system functions less as an incentive for people to stay in Connecticut, and more a means to convey them, permanently, elsewhere? For the individuals and families who find themselves squeezed on all sides by the growing expense of residing here, paying more and more for the same level of rail service may prove to be the decisive factor in relocating.

The state of Connecticut should be doing everything in its power to stem the flow of families and businesses out of our state. I urge the Governor and the Department of Transportation to withdraw this proposal, as an unfair and costly imposition on our beleaguered commuters.

Thank you for your consideration.