Freedom Ticket expands the concept of the MTA's CityTicket. CityTicket was first proposed by the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) in 2003, was launched as a pilot program in 2004, and continues to operate and perform successfully today. CityTicket offers a lower cost weekend fare for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad (MNR) riders within the city boundaries.
Weekend commuters traveling on the city commuter railroads will still have the ability to use CityTicket, however there is not a free transfer to NYC Transit subways and buses. Freedom Ticket will provide a free transfer to subways and buses, and will include weekday travel availability. Freedom Ticket commuters purchasing weekly and monthly tickets will stand to benefit the most, as these ticket types will include both weekday and weekend travel options.
Weekend commuters traveling on the city commuter railroads will still have the ability to use CityTicket, however there is not a free transfer to NYC Transit subways and buses. Freedom Ticket will provide a free transfer to subways and buses, and will include weekday travel availability. Freedom Ticket commuters purchasing weekly and monthly tickets will stand to benefit the most, as these ticket types will include both weekday and weekend travel options.
City Ticket vs. Freedom Ticket
Freedom Ticket Timeline
2003The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC), the parent organization of the NYCTRC, proposes City Ticket concept to the MTA, calling for reduced weekend fares on the commuter railroads within city limits.
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2004MTA implements the City Ticket pilot program that reduces weekend city commuter fares with no available transfers, which still operates today.
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2007PCAC produces a report called "A Long Day's Journey into Work," in which the PCAC recommends the concept of Freedom Ticket to improve mobility for transit underserved neighborhoods such as SE Queens.
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2015NYCTRC analyzes LIRR data to assess if the LIRR has the seating capacity to handle new passengers within NYC boundaries. The Council finds that in the AM and PM peak hours, trains to Penn Station are more than 20% empty; trains traveling to Atlantic Terminal are over 40% empty in the AM peak and 60% empty in the PM peak. The Council recommends a Freedom Ticket phased approach, starting in SE Queens.
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