MTA To Increase Service, Cut Prices For Commuters In Rockland, Orange

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — With congestion pricing set to begin on June 30, New York state officials have created a pilot program to expand the reach of MTA Metro-North Railroad to Orange and Rockland Counties, as an alternative to driving to New York City.

The implementation of the Central Business District Tolling Program incurred wrath — and lawsuits — including in the Hudson Valley west of the river, where officials have long complained that the state's commuter tax creates a 'value gap' as residents pay more into the metropolitan transportation system than they get back in service.

"Congestion pricing is a dumpster fire," said state Sen. Bill Weber after the toll plan was approved. "The residents of Rockland County have been shortchanged by the MTA for generations. Rockland County does not have a one seat ride into the city and many of our residents have to drive into the city."

The pilot program is designed to address the problem. Metro-North will:

• Begin weekend service on the Haverstraw-Ossining ferries for the first time
• Create monthly UniTicket discounts of 78 percent to 90 percent on the ferries and buses that cross the Hudson River
• Slash parking rates by 25 percent for Orange and Rockland residents using Metro-North’s garage in North White Plains

“Many residents from Orange and Rockland Counties commute to New York City for their jobs and leisure, and we are finding alternative ways for commuters to get to the city without the added costs and traffic,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an announcement. “This pilot program will give individuals from commuter areas easier and more accessible access to the central business district and beyond.”

Under the pilot program, the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry will operate continuously between 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekends starting May 25. The ferry has traditionally operated only during weekday rush hours.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day was ironically approving of the new plans — up to a point.

" We appreciate that MTA has responded to our pleas for the past 20 years to expand the ferry service but are disappointed that there is no increased weekday service for our commuters," he said. "Rockland County commuters have very few public transit options to the city, and the current ferry service’s extremely limited 'peak only' schedule simply doesn’t work for folks who need to travel later in the morning, midday, early afternoon, later at night or on weekends."

Metro-North also will offer discounts for monthly tickets on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry, the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, the Newburgh-Beacon bus and the Hudson Link.

In addition, Rockland and Orange County residents will receive a 25 percent discount on monthly parking at the North White Plains station, which is served by the Harlem Line.

With the new discounts, monthly bus and ferry ticket add-ons purchased in conjunction with a monthly rail pass good for an unlimited number of trips for each calendar month will fall dramatically, MTA officials said.

• The cost of a Hudson Link Bus monthly UniTicket fare (to either Tarrytown or to White Plains) will be cut in half to $30.
• The monthly UniTicket fare on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry will fall by 78.9 percent to $13.75 from the current $43.75.
• The current monthly UniTicket fare on the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry will fall to just $1 from $14.50, a 93.1 percent drop.
• The Newburgh Beacon Bus monthly UniTicket fare will be $1, down from $10.

"It is no secret that the folks who live west of the Hudson River don’t get the same quality of frequency and reliability of service as we have on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven Lines," MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. "As we approach the onset of congestion pricing, we want to make sure there are a few more options for people in Orange and Rockland Counties to get to this amazing Metro-North service."

The Central Business District Tolling Program, also referred to as congestion pricing, affects vehicles entering all parts of Manhattan at or below 60th Street (excluding the FDR Drive, the West Side Highway, and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel connection to West Street). It is considered a way to ease traffic and reduce air pollution in NYC’s congested business core and as a way to raise $1 billion annually for upgrades to the city’s transit system.

Commuters will pay a $15 per day toll. The toll for trucks would be $24 or $36 depending on their size.

Under the plan, drivers entering Manhattan’s central business district through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels will get a $5 credit for the tunnel tolls they pay, which will then be applied to the congestion pricing toll. Those entering through the Queens-Midtown or Hugh L. Carey (Brooklyn -Battery) tunnels will get a $2.50 credit. Truck credits range from $6 to $20. However, drivers who cross the GWB or MCB across the Hudson River on their way into the congestion zone will get zero discounts.

Rockland officials have been fighting for years to defeat or at least modify the plan. They have said about 4,000 Rockland commuters travel daily into the congestion zone, though they have not said how.

Discounting the Hudson Link and ferry Uniticket is good news, as are parking discounts for Rockland residents at White Plains, Day said. "But with Rockland County's existing $40 million value gap, fares and parking should really be free," he said. "I sincerely hope that MTA gets to work soon to expand weekday ferry service and improve the quality of existing rail service from Rockland County so that our residents start to receive some level of equity for what they pay to the MTA."

There are two Metro-North lines west of the Hudson River, with six stations on the Port Jervis Line and three Pascack Valley Line stations. Rockland and Orange commuters have to change trains in New Jersey.

When ridership increased a decade ago, Metro-North tried to encourage it with deep discounts for parking at the Pearl River and Nanuet train stations; but during the COVID pandemic, considered dropping train service west of the Hudson altogether.

"We look forward to MTA’s next step, which should be making a funding commitment in its Capital Plan for the Gateway and Bergen Loop projects and the corresponding Pascack Valley line investments that must be made in order to provide Rockland County’s one-seat-ride," Day said.

SEE ALSO:

• Rockland Sues the MTA Over Congestion Toll In Lower Manhattan
• MTA Unveils New And Improved Nanuet Metro-North Station
• New MTA Perks For Outer Borough Train Riders Anger LI, HV Congressmen
• Officials Celebrate Word Of Metro-North Fare Freeze For West Of Hudson