New York City subway and bus riders should be offered two new types of transit passes and three other improvements to the fare system, according to a new report released by a transit advocacy group. The report found that the new discounts could be implemented without reducing fare revenues for the transit system while also increasing ridership, making subways and buses more convenient to use, and making MetroCard discounts more accessible to lower-income riders. The study, prepared for transit advocacy group Straphangers Campaign, was based on a comprehensive telephone survey of 800 New Yorkers conducted in September 2002. Based on the survey findings, recommendations include a five-day flexible pass that could be used on nonconsecutive days and a bi-weekly pass usable for 14 consecutive days. Other recommendations include lowering the current base fare from $1.50 to $1.40 by eliminating the 10% bonus on MetroCard purchases of $15 or more. The report estimated that the new discounts would be revenue neutral for the transit system through a detailed analysis of respondent's current travel and purchasing patterns and their likely commuting with the recommended new discounts. A spokesman for MTA New York City Transit was quoted in the New York Times as saying that the agency would be examining the report's recommendations. The full report is available at www.schallerconsult.com