Hi, straphangers. I'm a reporter with Metro newspaper and I'm looking for riders who will be affected if the monthly "unlimited" MetroCard is capped at 90 rides, and the weekly card is capped at 21 rides. Are you worried you will use it more than 90 times a month or 21 times a week? I'm thinking people who could be affected: messengers/couriers, students, people who have multiple jobs or internships, nannies, actors, models, artists -- just basically anyone who uses the system A LOT.
If you want to talk, please contact me ASAP at carly.baldwin@metro.us or (646) 792-8025.

Sounds like a bad deal for bus and rail fans too.

CB: This is the first time that I have noticed this -

The MTA placing limits and restrictions on what are currently
Unlimited 7-day and 30-day Metrocards.

Has the MTA made any information directly available showing what their intentions may be concerning changes to Metrocards?

If they impose limits on these cards they will have to rename the option available as they will NOT be Unlimited any longer!

Will they limit or charge extra for transfers on Pay-Per-Ride
cards being another thought here?

Will limits be implemented on LIRR and MNCR commuter rail monthly/weekly passes that offer currently unlimited rides between two points and have been offered in this manner since
1980?

Back before late 1980-basically most of the 70s for that matter- a LIRR monthly/weekly was valid for just two rides or just one round trip per day and the change was made to relieve the burden on train crews having to service every ticket on every train by
making those tickets a "Display" or "Flash" type.

I believe that MNCR offered similar tickets-I remembered the LIRR tickets because I was a somewhat - regular rider back then.

With the MTA budget crisis the MTA is looking at limiting
use of many Metrocard and other pass options-I think that the current system works somewhat well now and these new limits may end up causing more problems then that they are worth with imposed new limits perhaps...

Observations and memories from MACTRAXX

well i use a lot of rides just to use the bathroom. in a system with 468 stations and like 20 bathrooms you have to get out at Port Authority, Penn Station, Grand Central, or Columbus Circle just to get relief on a long ride (without having to buy a "McChicken" first)!

Carly, i just read an article saying that the MTA is proposing 2 ideas. the first is to cap it at 90 rides for $99, the other is to keep it unlimited at $104. can you please advocate in your newspaper that they just sell both??? they already have a lot of different metrocard options, so why take away the only one that makes sense??? there will still be a lot of broke ppl that can't spare the $5 for unlimited rides but the rest of us have our own personal reasons for needing one!

Certainly then the name Unlimited must go. They are now Limited MetroCards, same as that their lousy bus service!

this has got to be one of the most assinine plans ever. so i can go to work, contribute to the economy, go home, and go to the supermarket but not make it home cuz i only had 3 trips!! this is not a freebie student card for christ sakes!! so instead i'll drive bc even tho it costs more, i can be in my own comfort meanwhile my car gets 13mpg so im poluting and idling near a school bc theres no parking. or better i'll skip whole foods or pathmark and hit the gym,oh wait i cant get home w/o another 2.25 so i guess f@#$ the gym i'll just b fat contributing to our sky high obesity and heathcare costs, oh and im a smoker too by the way.

The limitations on trips will definitely effect me. I will be more decisive as to whether or not i will take a trip to see a friend, shop, or go to see a movie.

It will most certainly effect where people will live, learn, and play as transit gets more and more expensive.

maybe a Mon-Friday and a Weekend only cards needed?

It will affect me also because I take all MTA Buses, Bee-Line Buses, subways, SIR.

Many people will be affected by this. There are jobs that do require frequent travel around the city. There are destinations that require several transfers and fares. What if you want to visit Long Island or Westchester? I hope, and think, it won't pass.

Another factor, when the card does not read properly and it reads "just used". With noone to let you in, after waiting the 18 minutes to get in, that would be another ride wasted.

What I wonder is what data the MTA is looking at that suggests they are losing money to people using unlimited cards more than that per month... I bet they make way more by people not using them to their potential than they lose by people "overusing" them.