With
MTA subway and bus fares on the rise, New Yorkers should be aware if
they are eligible for a reduced-fare MetroCard.
New York City Transit provides detailed information about reduced-fare MetroCards
online. Facts about reduced-fare MetroCards also may be found on the city
Department for the Aging's Senior Services: Benefits for Older
New Yorkers (scroll down to the "Reduced Fare" section), with
other information provided by the city Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene. You also may want to read the MTA-Reduced Fare MetroCards Conditions of Use and Other
Important Information, listed at the bottom of this
application.
Who qualifies for reduced-fare MetroCards?
--Anyone 65 or older.
--Anyone disabled, regardless of age. According to the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, "Reduced-Fare MetroCards are
available for people with disabilities and people diagnosed with serious mental
illness, who are also recipients of SSI [Supplemental Security Income] ...
Reduced-Fare MetroCards can be used to pay fares on all MTA NYC Transit
subways, all MTA NYC Transit local buses, 24 hours a day, and on express buses
during non-rush hours only."
--Persons receiving
Medicare benefits for any reason other than age
--Persons with a
serious mental illness who receive SSI
--Blindness
--Hearing
impairment
--Ambulatory
disability
--Loss of both
hands
--Mental
retardation and/or other organic mental capacity impairment
Where can I apply?
New
Yorkers can apply for a reduced-fare MetroCard at a walk-in center (Lower
Manhattan at 3 Stone
Street, New York City, between Broadway and Broad Street.) Reduced-Fare MetroCards carry your name and photo, and they work the same
as a regular MetroCard: You may buy unlimited rides for half price. You
also may add value to a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, after which you'll be
charged half the regular fare when you use the card.
Application forms for seniors are online. Application forms for the disabled also are online.
Return applications to: MTA reduced-fare Program, 2 Broadway,
D11.03, New York City 10004.
If you apply by mail, rather than in person at the walk-in center, you must include a recent
passport-style photo of yourself. The walk-in center is open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For
reduced-fare MetroCards, the MTA offers an EasyPay fare payment option. MTA’s website
says, "Open your account with $10 and never pay more than $40.50 month, no
matter how many rides you take. Your EasyPay account is automatically refilled
by credit/debit card, electronic debit, check or money order. You get a 15
percent bonus every time you add $10 or more to your card." For EasyPay automatic refills, you may apply online.
If I'm 65 or older, what do I need to bring
when I apply?
At least one of the following, which must include your photo:
--Birth Certificate
--Medicare card
--Social Security Award letter
--Access-A-Ride ID card
--NYC Department of the Aging identification card
--Driver's License or state identification card
If
you have additional questions, please call 212-METROCARD
(638-7622). Or call the Office of the Public Advocate at 212-669-7250.
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