Veto kills free 2nd transfers on subway

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo vetoed legislation late Monday that would have given commuters a second free transfer on pay-per-ride MetroCards.

In his veto message, Cuomo said the bill the Legislature approved had “fiscal, policy and technical flaws.” He said he was ordering the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to take steps that would make it easier for riders affected by service disruptions to complete their journeys without paying another fare, including having transit authority staff distribute manual tickets for an additional subway or bus trip during unplanned disruptions.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), who sponsored the measure, said he was disappointed by the governor’s veto and that Cuomo’s remedies don’t go far enough.

Currently, commuters using a pay-per-ride MetroCard get one automatic free transfer between a bus or subway per fare. Dinowitz’s bill would have allowed two free transfers within two hours of the original fare’s purchase.