Dozens of high school students demonstrated in Harlem this weekend to protest the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's controversial plan to get rid of free student Metrocards, according to NY1. As a part of its proposed "Doomsday" service cuts, the MTA is planning on eliminating the subsidized transit passes for youngsters, which allow some 500,000 students to get to school for free.
"It will get students to not go to school. We need motivation for our students to keep on going," said one protester. In hopes of plugging its $400 million budget gap, the MTA is considering charging students half fare in September and full fare the year after that. There are also plans to reduce subway and bus service, eliminate some subway and bus routes, and close some train stations at night. The last time students protested against the cuts, Councilman Charles Barron (D-East New York) stated: "If we have to, we'll shut the subway down — they won't be able to ride nobody around. If we can't ride, nobody's going to ride."
