The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has announced new strategies to address the growing issue of fare evasion, which is expected to cost the transit system over $700 million in 2024. The MTA introduced modifications to subway turnstiles and is testing additional measures to reduce fare evasion across its network.
In an effort to prevent “back-cocking” — a method of fare evasion where individuals pull back a turnstile to sneak through — the MTA has modified 1,400 turnstiles at more than 100 stations. These changes have resulted in an 80% reduction in back-cocking incidents. By the end of 2024, 60% of all turnstiles will be modified to incorporate these preventative measures.
Additionally, the MTA has installed vertical metal fins on turnstile cabinets at four pilot stations to deter fare evaders from jumping over. This initiative has led to a more than 20% decrease in turnstile jumping at these locations. The agency plans to expand the installation of turnstile fins to 10 more stations in the coming months.
Chantel Cabrera, the MTA’s Senior Director of subway coordination and solutions, emphasized the importance of these modifications. “We’ve made design changes to the turnstile that stop the gear from turning fully, preventing people from shimmying through,” Cabrera said. “We’ve also installed vertical metal fins on the cabinets of the turnstiles to deter our most athletic evaders from jumping over.”
The MTA is also addressing fare evasion through increased police presence, private security, and public education campaigns. Despite these efforts, fare evasion remains a significant financial burden. MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber highlighted the urgency of the issue, noting that fare evasion losses have increased from $285 million in 2022 to a projected $360 million this year for the subway system alone.
To further combat fare evasion, the MTA is exploring the use of wide-aisle fare gates and establishing a Fare Evasion Lab to test new technologies and modern fare gate proposals. The agency is also piloting a program to delay the opening of emergency gates by 15 seconds, which has shown a 38% reduction in fare evasion at several fare control areas.
However, the MTA has yet to address fare evasion on buses, where non-paid ridership ranges from 40% to over 55%. Lieber acknowledged the challenge, stating that fare evasion on buses increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when front doors were closed to protect bus operators.
