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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has decided to take strong action against fare evasion on New York City buses. Following an alarming report indicating that nearly half of passengers don’t pay for their rides, the MTA announced the deployment of unarmed inspectors on local buses throughout the city. These inspectors will monitor passengers who evade fares, asking them to leave the bus and, in some cases, they may face a citation or arrest.
Fare evasion on New York buses is one of the biggest problems facing the city’s public transportation system, costing the MTA over $300 million annually. Since the onset of the pandemic, the issue has worsened significantly. In 2022, an estimated $315 million in revenue was lost due to bus fare evasion and an additional $285 million due to subway fare evasion.
In response to this challenge, inspectors, part of the MTA’s "EAGLE" unit, will patrol bus routes with the highest rates of evasion, working alongside NYPD officers stationed at key bus stops. These officers will have the authority to issue fines ranging from $50 to $100 and may even arrest offenders in extreme cases.
Although the MTA implemented a similar initiative in 2022, which included inspectors and officers at 20 bus stops, fare evasion has continued to rise. By early this year, the fare evasion rate on buses had reached 47%, a significant increase from 35% the previous year.
One of the reasons behind this ongoing issue is that bus drivers are not encouraged to enforce fare payment due to concerns for their safety. Incidents like the fatal stabbing of a driver in 2008 or the more recent case in 2023, where a driver was grazed by a bullet after expelling a passenger who didn’t pay, have led MTA policies to prioritize employee safety.
For the MTA, resolving the fare evasion problem is crucial, as fare revenue is essential to funding numerous transportation projects that have been postponed. The New York City Police Department has reaffirmed its commitment to the initiative, reallocating officers to support the MTA’s efforts in the fight against fare evasion.
During Mayor Eric Adams’ tenure, there has been an increased crackdown on fare evasion, especially in the subway. Although most of the evasion occurs on buses, fare evasion arrests in the subway system rose by 250% between 2022 and 2023, with fines increasing by 160%.
With these measures, the MTA aims to restore confidence in the transportation system and ensure that passengers pay their fair share to keep one of the world’s largest public transportation networks running smoothly.
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