“Sometimes I only eat one meal a day.”
For Darun T., 38, a recent immigrant from Thailand, the high cost of transportation can mean deciding between buying a meal and buying a MetroCard. Darun works as a server at a Thai restaurant in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and an hour long ride on the “F” train away from her shared room in Woodside, Queens.
Her monthly income of $1,250 is tightly budgeted to cover rent, bills, and a monthly MetroCard, leaving little left over for groceries or other expenses. “Sometimes I only eat one meal a day,” says Darun. But what meals she can afford aren’t always the healthiest. “I don't want to eat junk food, but I have to eat...I can’t spend so much money on healthy food.”
Darun is working towards completing her High School Equivalency at LaGuardia Community College and has her sights set on a degree and career in computer science. She is committed to furthering her education, so being without a MetroCard is not an option. “I don’t want to miss work and school.”
For Darun, the money she would save with a half-priced MetroCard means more than just a cheaper ride, it could mean healthy meals and being able to invest in her education
Learn more about our #FairFares camapign to bring half-priced MetroCards to low-income New Yorkers here