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Is The PATH A Suitable Substitute For The Subway?
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Nov 3, 2010
Modified Nov 3, 2010
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Nov 3, 2010
Modified Nov 3, 2010
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With the cost of a monthly MetroCard soon becoming an approximate gajillion dollars, the New York Times sheds some light on alternative forms of transportation. They're calling the PATH train the "last truly underground bargain of New York," with a single ride costing just $1.75 and a 30-day past costing $54. And the conductors actually get mad at those kids selling candy! One West Village resident said, “I like to think of it as a little neighborhood secret," and says he has abandoned the 1 train altogether. Now if everybody just moved to the west side of Manhattan between Christopher Street and 33rd Street, we'd all enjoy that savings!
According to NYC Transit data, the PATH's ridership rose at twice the rate of the subway in the past year. But though the rides may be cheaper and the trains may come faster, MTA spokesman Charles Seaton said, “I don’t believe it’s ever been a concern." Why? Oh, just a little thing called the rest of the city. And though it's frustrating to think that the same city is involved in the cheap, pristine PATH and the expensive, ever-frustrating subway, the PATH's shorter route does make it easier and cheaper to maintain. The Times notes, "The system handles about 245,000 trips on an average weekday, fewer than half of the trips taken on the No. 6 subway line alone." So if we stop riding the subway so much, it will get better? Thanks for making sense, MTA.
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nyc transit
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Jaya Saxena
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