Directs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide discounted monthly passes to college, graduate and career education students for the purpose of commuting to and from classes.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5701
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to direct the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide
discounted monthly passes to college and career education students for
the purpose of commuting to and from classes
PURPOSE:
To increase the affordability of transportation by providing discounted
monthly passes to college and career education students to physically
access education services.
SUMMARY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority shall extend the
provisions of its Monthly Tickets for Schools program providing
discounted monthly transportation passes to include students utilizing
the Long Island Railroad and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company
to commute to attend post-secondary education classes at qualified
colleges, universities and career education schools.
Section 2. Sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
With the price of public transportation on the rise, New York's students
are subsequently impacted as public transportation remains the forefront
method to travel to class. The base fare for subway, local buses, and
paratransit has increased 15 cents, from $2.75 to $2.90, and is project-
ed to increase {11 The increased price of public transportation impedes
the academic experience of students, hindering their ability to phys-
ically attend courses and, ultimately, limiting accessibility to educa-
tion.
Furthermore, lower-income students have a harder time affording public
transportation. Although public transportation was created to be acces-
sible for all, access to such transport is slowly turning into a luxury.
Without further preventative action, the unaffordability of public
transportation can generate long-lasting negative financial effects for
New York's students. This legislation simply expands an already existing
discount program to students.
RACIAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
The use of public transportation is strongly tied to race. Communities
of color are much more likely to use public transportation
2. To
ensure that students of color are provided with affordable public trans-
portation, this discount must be expanded to university-level students.
GENDER JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A9239; referred to corporations, authorities and commissions.
2021-22: A10673; referred to corporations, authorities and commissions.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 https ://westchester. news12. com/mta-approves-new-ra te-h ikes-no-
ma tter-ho w-you-get-to-nyc-i ts-going-to-cost-you-more
2https ://nyc .streetsblog.
org/2021/06/18/report-racial-and-economic-inequities-in-trans it-affec-
taccessibility-to-jobs-healthcare
