Half Fare for Senior Citizens
Half Fare Senior Citizen tickets are issued to (who else?) Senior Citizens (over 65 years of age) upon their payment of a full fare and presentation of valid identification card at the token booth. They then received the following ticket for a return trip for free. This in effect give a passenger a round trip for the cost of only a one way fare.
The New York City Transit Authority Reduced Fare for the Elderly program was inaugurated on July 1, 1969 (US Senate, "Older Americans and Transportation: A Crisis in Mobility; Document 91-1520; 12/29/1970) and was made possible by Federal subsidies. Applicants had to be over 65 years of age and not employed full time.
When the system was instituted, and upon presentation of an identification card;
seniors were eligible to pay 10 cents instead of the regular 20 cents
fare throughout the New York City Transit Authority system during
the hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 12:00 am, Monday
through Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
The methods for paying are somewhat different between rapid
transit (subway and elevated lines) from surface transit (bus routes):
These tickets were originally only good for rapid transit (subway / elevated) use, not a subway ride and then a bus ride.
Usage was later expanded to
include surface transit (date needed).
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| Reduced Fare Identification Card - 1969 | |
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| Reduced Fare Identification Card 1970(?) - 1973 | |
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| Reduced Fare Identification Card - 1978 - 1989 | |
 Zerega Avenue - April 27, 1970 Globe Ticket 5 1/4" (w/o selvage) x 2" |  XX-16 - September 23? 28? 1971 Globe Ticket 5 1/4" (w/o selvage) x 2" |
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 Broadway - Astoria - April 12, 1974 Globe Ticket 5 1/4" (w/o selvage) x 2" |  207th Street "A" - September 16, 1974 Globe Ticket 5 1/4" (w/o selvage) x 2" |
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 Globe Ticket 5 1/8" (w/o selvage) x 2" |  Globe Ticket 5 3/8" (w/ 5/16" selvage) x 2" |
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| Broadway - March 26, 1977 Globe Ticket | Roosevelt Avenue - September 24, 1977 Globe Ticket |
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. | intentionally left blank |
| 77th Street - January 30, 1978 Globe Ticket | |
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| Whitehall Street - June 12, 1980 Globe Ticket | |
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| station illegible - January 19, 1989 Globe Ticket | |
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| At some point, date uncertain; the half fare tickets became valid on surface lines, including Private Bus Lines. | |
 Avenue M - January 15, 1996 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" M - New York City Transit Authority | |
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| 23rd Street - August 19, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit | Broadway - August 26, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit |
| . | |
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| Elmhurst avenue - July 11, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit | Lexington Avenue - July 29, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit |
| . | |
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| Main Street - August 8, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit | Main Street - September 9, 1997 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit |
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| 7" (w/o selvage) x 2" MTA - New York City Transit | |
Half
Fare Senior Citizen Tickets not frequently encountered, but seen.
Strangely enough, older issues are more readily encountered than newer
varieties.
As such, older tickets 1970's - 1980's at $2.00 - $3.00 each, with selvage $3.00 to 5.00.
Newer tickets 1990's, 2000's through introduction of MetroCard: $5.00 to $6.00 circulated - $6.50 to 7.50 with selvage.
Half Fare for Handicapped
Half fare for handicapped persons was not instituted until September 1, 1975, six years after the half fare for senior citizens was adopted.
This is the photo identification card necessary to present to a token booth clerk to be eligible to pay reduced fare.
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Upon presentation of the above identification card and payment of full fare; the handicapped passenger was issued a half fare ticket as seen below. This allowed the handicapped passenger a free return trip. and by which allowed the individual to travel the subway system for half fare.
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| January 16, 1980 - Rockaway Parkway (not good on bus lines) |
| . . |
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| January 31, 2007 - 22nd Avenue (acceptable on buses, both NYCTA and private operator) |
Half
Fare Handicapped Tickets not as frequently encountered in circulated
conditions as senior citizen half fare tickets, however unissued remainder books are available for sale.
uncommon in issued condition; $5.00 - $6.00;
unissued book common: $10.00
