City transit officials aim to reduce fare evasion on buses to recover lost revenue.
Fare evasion crackdown expands to NYC buses
In a recent enforcement effort in New York City, a team of police officers and transit workers targeted fare evaders on city buses, issuing summonses to those caught skipping the fare. The initiative, led by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (M.T.A.), aims to address the widespread issue of fare evasion on buses, where one in two passengers does not pay.
The crackdown, which previously focused on the subway system, has now expanded to include buses due to the high rate of fare evasion and the significant financial losses incurred by the M.T.A. In 2022, the agency lost $285 million to fare evasion in the subway system and $315 million on buses, despite buses serving a larger number of passengers.
The enforcement teams, consisting of police officers and transit workers, were deployed at various locations across Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island to target fare beaters. Similar teams will be permanently stationed throughout the bus system to curb fare evasion effectively.
Demetrius Crichlow, the interim president of New York City Transit, emphasized the importance of addressing fare evasion to ensure fairness for paying customers. The crackdown on fare evasion is a response to the concerns raised by passengers who question why they should pay while others do not.
The M.T.A. plans to continue the enforcement efforts on buses, with Brooklyn being the next target for fare evasion crackdown. By deploying teams to monitor bus routes and issue summonses to fare evaders, the M.T.A. aims to promote compliance with fare payment and reduce financial losses due to evasion.
Source: The NY Times
