The MTA is considering a fare hike up to $2.50 – but only for riders who purchase single-ride paper tickets.

The latest budget proposal is said to include the fare hike which the MTA believes is softened because only 2.1 percent of riders buy one way single-ride tickets.

The $2.25 base fare would remain in effect for the rest of the straphangers, including bus riders who pay with coins.

The silver-lining of the small number of riders affected by the new fare hike will be of little solace to New Yorkers who find themselves penny pinching and to those with a long memory.

A $1.50 fare was in place for 8 years – from 1995 to 2003. Then the fare increased to $2.00 which was in place for only 6 years – from 2003 to 2009. Now, it seems that the $2.25 base fare will see changes only after 1 year.

(Source: MyFoxNY)