The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) this week began hearings on a proposed 15-cent fare increase for the Boston area's subway system.

In a series of forums held in the 78 cities and towns served by the transit system--popularly known as the `T'--the MBTA is seeking public comment on its plan to raise the price of a subway ride from 60 to 75 cents. If approved, the increase would be the first since 1985.

MBTA spokesperson Peter Dimond said that the MBTA might restrict token sales if the increase is approved. Announcements of fare hikes in other cities have prompted concerns that passengers would hoard tokens. But Dimond said that the MBTA is not concerned about the possibility of passengers rushing to buy tokens at the present 60-cent price.

"This is just a proposal," said Dimond. "Until things are solidified, we don't expect that people will do anything like that."

Currently, 30 percent of the MBTA's $5.75 million annual budget is funded by rider fares With the increase, that figure would increase to 33 percent, Dimond said.

Dimond said that the vast number of recent improvements and expan- sions in the subway system justified theincrease. Since 1981, the MBTA has spent $2.5billion modernizing its equipment and repairingtracks. In addition, ridership has increased 20percent to its current level of 650,000 passengersdaily.

The 75-cent subway fare would still be thecheapest in the nation, Dimond said.

Meanwhile, the MBTA is also making an effort toincrease security for subway riders, Dimond said.A new warning system, designed to tell passengerswhen a train is about to come, is in the planningstages, Dimond said. The system will allowpassengers to wait in the lighted area near thetoken booth at night, rather than on the platform.

"That system's being designed," Dimond said,adding that he did not precisely how the warningsystem would work. "I don't know if it's voices orbells or what the system is."

Riders interviewed at the Park Street subwaystation expressed mixed views on the prospect of afare increase. Many said that service had improvedin recent years, but not enough to justify a farehike.

Others said that the system is unlikely toimprove as a result of a fare hike.

"If we could expect a significant increase inservice that wouldn't be much," said Eva Vincent,of Boston. "But that's a big 'if.'"

"I think that compared to how it used to bewhen I first came to Boston, it's much betternow," said James V. Palmer, of Brookline. "It usedto be horrendous."

Palmer cited improvements in station securityand the frequency of train arrivals as significantimprovements.

Other riders said they viewed the fare increasesimply as an inevitable fact of life--unpleasant,but unavoidable.

"It doesn't bother me," said Claire Robowicz,of Brighton. "It's just one of those things--liketaxes or rent.