Commuter Council: 'Revise Current LIRR Ticket Policies'

As you know, during the fare hearings conducted by the MTA last year the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council (LIRRCC) opposed changes to fare validity periods and the imposition of a processing fee on tickets returned for refund.  When ticket policy changes detrimental to riders were approved by the MTA Board and implemented by the LIRR, the LIRRCC committed to monitor the situation and its affect on riders.

In the past ten months the reaction to these changes from both regular commuters and occasional riders has been overwhelmingly negative.  We find that these new policies have caused inconvenience, confusion, financial hardship, and frustration for LIRR riders.  Riders are now reluctant to purchase tickets for future trips due to the risk of being left with a worthless ticket or being forced to pay a refund processing fee. Sometimes, the processing fee is higher than the purchase price of the ticket. The impact of these policy changes falls most heavily on occasional and discretionary riders, who often can choose whether or not to use the Rail Road.  This is not the way to increase the LIRR’s customer base.

This new ticket policy has not worked for riders, and we believe it harms the LIRR and the MTA as well.  We have considered this situation carefully, including the costs of providing ticket refunds, and extensively discussed existing ticket policy within our  Council.  As a result, we ask that the MTA Board revise current LIRR ticket validity and refund policies to provide that, once issued, tickets remain valid without expiration and without provision for any refund.  We recognize that procedures to deal with fare increases may be necessary, but it is the position of the LIRRCC that a valid ticket should retain the value of the fare initially paid.

We ask you as a member of the MTA Board to actively support this policy change and to speak in favor of such a change both at public meetings of the Board and in discussions with other members and LIRR and MTA staff.  The Council will continue to speak out on this issue as well.  For the good of the LIRR and its riders, we hope that you will join us in our effort to revamp the ticket policy changes that took effect last December, to make it more equitable and cause less friction between the riders and the Rail Road.

-Mark J. Epstein, Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council Chair

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