Turnstile Armor Is MTA’s Latest Defense Against Farebeaters
The MTA is trying to get a leg up on turnstile jumpers at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall/Chambers Street subway station.
Crescent-Shaped Shields
Crescent-shaped metal shields attached Tuesday to a bank of turnstiles at the Lower Manhattan complex are the MTA’s latest attempt to curb a fare-evasion crisis that last year cost the transit agency an estimated $360 million in the subway alone — and more than $700 million in 2023 from unpaid fares and tolls on trains, buses, bridges, and tunnels.
A Constant Battle
“It is a constant battle to try and fight this urge of our customers who just don’t want to pay the $2.90,” Demetrius Crichlow, president of New York City Transit, told THE CITY. “They would pay it for anything else, but they just do not want to pay it for the fare.”
Higher Turnstiles
At their highest point, the shields attached to each turnstile arm add more than two inches of elevation to the fare gate, forcing farebeaters to at least consider a more grounded approach to avoiding the $2.90 fare.
Farebeaters’ Perspective
“I could make it, I just didn’t want to bust my ass, bro,” said Kay, an 18-year-old Brooklyn man who did a triple take at the new-look turnstiles before waiting to beat the fare through an open emergency gate. “My hands were cold and I saw the door was open, so I just said, ‘Screw it.’”
Broad Efforts
The tweaks to the turnstiles at the hub serving the 4, 5, 6, J, and Z lines are part of the broader efforts against farebeating, a campaign that transit officials in January said resulted in a 26% drop in subway fare evasion over the last six months of 2024, along with a double-digit drop in fare evasion on the buses.
Reducing Fare Evasion
“We have reduced bus fare evasion by 12%, down from roughly 50% — yikes! — to 44%,” Janno Lieber, MTA chairperson and CEO, said in January. “But it’s the first time we have turned around the trajectory of those stats and I am thrilled.”
Other Measures
Among the anti-farebeating measures taken in the subway are posting unarmed “gate guards” near emergency exits at more than 200 stations, putting in a turnstile-locking mechanism that prevents “back-cocking” at fare-payment gates, and replacing traditional emergency exit gates with wide-aisle gates at a select number of stations.
Future Plans
The MTA last month installed spiked “fins” on turnstiles at the 59th Street-Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street-Times Square stations. The sharp-edged barriers are meant to deter fare evasion.
Behavioral Research
The MTA has even considered using behavioral research to study what drives different types of fare evaders.
Conclusion
The MTA is continuing to take a multifaceted approach to combat fare evasion, with a range of measures aimed at reducing the problem and recovering lost revenue. While some riders are skeptical about the effectiveness of the new turnstiles, the MTA remains committed to finding solutions to this persistent issue.
FAQs
- What is the MTA doing to combat fare evasion?
The MTA is taking a range of measures, including installing new turnstiles, posting gate guards, and conducting behavioral research. - How much did fare evasion cost the MTA in 2023?
Fare evasion cost the MTA more than $700 million in 2023. - What is the MTA’s goal for reducing fare evasion?
The MTA aims to reduce fare evasion by 50% by 2025. - How much is the MTA spending on modernizing its fare gates?
The MTA has allocated $1.1 billion for installing modern fare gates in at least 150 stations.
