Does NYC Subway pay for itself?

For the last 40 years, the MTA has taken out loans to help pay for new tracks, stations, trains and buses — and maintain the ones it already owns. Money from fares, tolls and taxes pays back the lenders, plus interest. That business model worked until the pandemic sent ridership plummeting.



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There are a number of reasons for this. Why is the New York City subway losing money? Virtually every public transportation system in the world loses money. Public transportation systems aren't for-profit businesses, they are public agencies, run by the government, intended to provide a service to the general public.

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Where our operating budget dollars come from. The largest share of MTA revenue — $7.222 billion — comes from dedicated taxes and subsidies the Authority receives from the cities and states that we serve. Another $6.870 billion comes from fares and tolls.

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Subways and buses Fare for most riders on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses: $2.90. Express buses cost $7. Tap to pay your fare with your contactless credit/debit card, smartphone, or OMNY card, or pay with a MetroCard.

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New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is buried under a $48 billion mountain of debt — and paying it off threatens to undermine the agency's core function: running mass transit for more than 5 million people a day.

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NYCT also spends far more on operations than many peer systems. For example, in 2018, expenses for subway operations and maintenance in New York came to $14.55 per car-mile, while the system earned only $10.05 per car-mile in fare revenue.

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“About 400,000 riders enter the subway each day without paying–a problem so big that enforcement alone cannot solve it,” the panel reported.

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The MTA has the authority to collect fares from the riding public, pursuant to the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Riders who enter the subway system or ride buses without paying the fare are subject to a $50 or $100 fine.

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What is the Penalty for Fare Evasion in New York? While jumping a turnstile is still technically a criminal offense, the penalties are relatively light. It falls into the same general category as a parking ticket, and you will be fined $100 if caught. However, you can appeal the decision and avoid paying the fine.

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What percentage of people use the subway in NYC? In 2021, our total subway ridership was 760 million, reaching 45% of our 2019 ridership numbers. Total bus ridership was 312 million, back to 56% of our 2019 ridership numbers.

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OMNY is the contactless fare payment system for public transportation in the New York region. Simply use your contactless credit or debit card, smart phone, wearable device, or an OMNY card to tap and go. OMNY will eventually combine fare payments and ticketing across subways, buses, paratransit, and commuter rail.

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How NYC's Second Avenue Subway Became the World's Most Expensive Line. The Manhattan transit expansion's multibilllion-dollar price tag reflects the spiraling complexity of US construction practices, a team of NYU researchers says.

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Key Findings: MTA's outstanding long-term debt climbed from $11.4 billion in 2000 to $42.3 billion in 2022 and will reach $56.7 billion by 2028.

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