In a concerted effort to address the issue of fare evasion in New York City, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a notable decrease in incidents. According to the Governor's office, subway fare evasion dropped by 26 percent in the past six months of 2024, while bus fare evasion saw a 9.1 percent decline. These figures represent the results of a clearly defined strategy, aimed to reinforce fare compliance and upgrade the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s infrastructure.
"We're turning the tide against fare evasion to help protect transit riders and taxpayers and to continue to strengthen our transit system," Governor Hochul said in a statement, acknowledging the work done but emphasizing the need to steadfastly push forward with these new measures. The MTA has paired up with the NYPD to boost enforcement and has made modifications to fare gates, which includes delaying emergency exit gate openings and reinforcing turnstiles. The MTA expects to install modern fare gates at 20 high-traffic stations by the end of the year, with the goal of expanding these updates to an additional 20 stations in 2026.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber highlighted the collaboration with Hochul and the NYPD as a key factor in the progress made: "Our strategy has been to publicize the seriousness of the problem, to put in place stronger physical barriers, and to make sure there’s plenty of enforcement." Aside from infrastructure improvements, the MTA is leveraging data to provide targeted enforcement, with the EAGLE Team inspecting fares on local and SBS bus routes and the addition of gate guards at subway stations, as detailed by the Governor's office.
Furthermore, the MTA has been actively testing and implementing anti-fare evasion technology which includes sensors and screens on buses to help deter and track fare evasion. They have also introduced a behavioral change element, with campaigns that emphasize the importance of fare payment and highlight the role of transit workers. An increase in student use of OMNY cards has been seen as evidence of these campaigns' effectiveness. "Fare evasion undermines the very system that moves New York City and provides essential transportation for our communities," NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow told the Governor's office. With ongoing efforts, they aim to ensure fair compliance and maintain an equitable transit system for all.
These strategies have been implemented on the back of a crisis outlined in the MTA's Blue-Ribbon Panel report, which detailed the MTA losing an estimated $690 million in unpaid fares and tolls in 2022. The proposed 2025-2029 MTA Capital Plan intends to accelerate these updates, with a budget of $1.1 billion dedicated to installing modern fare gates at least 150 stations systemwide. As the city moves forward into 2025, these comprehensive efforts are expected to pave the way for a safer and more efficient transportation network, one fare at a time.
