REPORT OF THE BLUE-RIBBON PANEL on MTA Fare and Toll Evasion

Key Takeaways

The fiscal losses caused by fare and toll evasion are staggering.

• The MTA’s dollar losses to fare and toll evasion for 2022 were $690 million.
  That includes $315 million in evasion losses on the buses; $285 million on
  the subways; $46 million at the bridges and tunnels; and $44 million on
  commuter rail. On the buses and subways in particular, evasion levels have
  spiked since the pandemic. They show no signs of
  dropping.

This should include improving the measurement of fare evasion on commuter railroads and passing new state legislation to crack down on drivers who use fraudulent and blocked license plates to evade tolls, or who persistently ignore toll bills. Modernizing fare arrays – turnstiles, exit gates, and other physical barriers – is the single most important thing the MTA can do to reduce fare evasion in the subway, saving hundreds of millions of dollars over time. These fare arrays would replace the aging turnstiles with motorized swinging doors or panels. They will also enable the MTA to get rid of the existing emergency gates – the single biggest source of evasion in the subways. About 400,000 riders enter the subway each day without paying – a problem so big that enforcement alone cannot solve it

The Four E’s strategy is based on the idea that new anti-evasion strategies should respond to the reasons why people evade in the first place. For example, evaders (particularly on the subways) typically fall into several general categories:

The opportunistic evader – the person who approaches the subway turnstile with MetroCard or OMNY in hand but evades when they see others entering through an open emergency exit gate. Remedies should focus on taking away the opportunity – the open gate.

The frustrated evader – the person who walks up to a MetroCard machine, cash in hand and ready to pay, but finds the machine’s cash slot has been vandalized. Unable to pay the MTA with cash, they reluctantly resort to evasion through the emergency exit gate – sometimes being forced to pay someone illegally controlling gate entry.

The economically stressed evader – the person who evades the fare because paying it is a true hardship. The panel heard from New Yorkers who feel as if they have to choose between paying the fare and paying for other necessities.  They told us they would much rather be paying customers and they find evasion painful and embarrassing.

The student evader – the young person who evades the fare when their student discount is unavailable.

The determined evader – this category includes the person who simply Is determined not to pay, regardless of subsidies, educational messages or other nudges. This category also includes those who are determined to facilitate and profit from evasion by others. Social media chatter makes clear that many see fare evasion as outright cool or somehow socially justified. It is neither.

Get the full report HERE