I get it, they didn't have enough time to switch the machines to logical card increments because of how late Albany acted. You could still take some basic measures to remind people of what's going on.

The MTA advertising program is run by a contractor, who bids out the space for whatever advertisers will pay and takes care of actually changing the ads. If you look at the NYCT financial statements for 2008, you will see that advertising brought in roughly $108m, or 3% of operating revenues, or 1% of operating expenses. These numbers are pretty typical for transit agencies. by the way.

--Ian

just refill it and save a bit of plastic too.

58.70 * .15 = 8.805

That rounds up to $8.81 which gives you an extra penny.

(I've tested the machines before on half cent bonuses and found that it does round up; if you find otherwise, please take a picture.)

Since I always have two cards -- because I don't want to get caught out on the bus, where you can't buy a card -- this means I may be carrying as much as $90 in fares in my wallet (up from $80 under the last fare). I wish there were a way to get that number down.

There is, as Ian noted. EasyPayXpress. It is by far the best kind of MetroCard. You will never have more than $40 on your person, you will never have to worry about getting caught empty-handed on a bus, you will never have to visit a vending machine. (You'll also never have to calculate how much money to put on to get an even discount.)

Add $58.70 to $0.00 for a bonus of $8.80 and a total of $67.50 or 30 rides.

Of course, with Albany starving the MTA for cash, it might be a good idea to throw them some spare change now and again, anyway.

"To have a fare increase every year, year and a half - that’s the part that’s frustrating."

Someone should tell these people to look up "inflation" in a dictionary.

None of the other bonus values given by the calculator is precisely divisible by $2.25.

How do you figure? 15.65 + 2.35 = 18, which is 2.25 x 8.

I wish there were a way to get that number down.

Well, there is always EasyPayXpress.

I tried the online calculator. With a "starting balance" of $0 and a "maximum to add" of $80 (the most MTA allows), I got these results:

Add $15.65 to $0.00 for a bonus of $2.35
and a total of $18.00.

Add $29.35 to $0.00 for a bonus of $4.40
and a total of $33.75.

Add $31.30 to $0.00 for a bonus of $4.70
and a total of $36.00.

Add $45.00 to $0.00 for a bonus of $6.75
and a total of $51.75.

Add $60.65 to $0.00 for a bonus of $9.10
and a total of $69.75.

Add $74.35 to $0.00 for a bonus of $11.15
and a total of $85.50.

Add $76.30 to $0.00 for a bonus of $11.45
and a total of $87.75.

It looks like the answer is to pay $45, get a 15% bonus of $6.75 (three fares), total value $51.75.

None of the other bonus values given by the calculator is precisely divisible by $2.25.

Since I always have two cards -- because I don't want to get caught out on the bus, where you can't buy a card -- this means I may be carrying as much as $90 in fares in my wallet (up from $80 under the last fare). I wish there were a way to get that number down.

I personally try to just refill a single card and not worry about any odd amounts on it, because they'll stay there after the next refill.

Use the MetroCard Bonus Calculator.

http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2009/06/mta-approves-deal-10-2-despite-warnings.html