As you’ve probably heard by now, the MBTA is planning big fare hikes. On Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker’s MBTA Control Board presented two proposals, one of which would raise some fares by over 10%. And on Wednesday, the administration declared that passes were separate than fares and could be raised by any amount. At any time.

But these proposals are still just that: proposals. There’s still time to pressure the Baker administration into scaling back these increases. Here’s what you can do:

• Attend an upcoming public hearing: The administration announced public meetings, where anyone can go and voice their opinion. See below for details.

• Submit public comment: The administration has also launched this online tool to submit comment. Click here to make your voice heard, and email our Partnerships Director Josh Ostroff ([email protected]) if you have questions about what you should say.

Like you, we’re disappointed and frustrated by these developments. As we've argued for the past year, riders should not bear the brunt of efforts to fix the T. And as we and our partners have shown, riders have already been subject to ample fare increases over the past 15 years, with fares doubling over that time. And when fares increase this drastically, it hurts those who rely on the T the most: students, low-income workers, and the elderly. Plus, these types of big increases lead to fewer riders, more people driving, and more congestion and air pollution as a result. 

We know that fare increases that are neither modest nor predictable are not the best course of action. While the past month has been frustrating, we still are in position to shape this debate. Please join us in taking the actions above.

Upcoming MBTA Public Meeting Schedule (note that some meetings cover other topics that you may be interested in, and meeting times can be subject to change so please check the MBTA's website for the most updated information):