Posted on 11/28/2018 9:45:37 PM PST by Larry381
Fare-beating has long been a problem for the MTA, but transit officials say it has grown worse, and is one reason fares have to go up in March.
They say fare-beating increased after the Manhattan District Attorney last year stopped prosecuting most cases, a response to concerns that black and Latino violators were being disproportionally singled out.
The NYPD also has eased enforcement, issuing civil summonses to the majority of turnstile jumpers instead of arresting them, focusing instead on more serious crimes.
NYPD numbers show more than 10,000 fewer arrests for fare-beating since January, compared to the same period last year, a decline of more than 66 percent.
"The problem is people are not paying,” MTA Board Member Larry Schwartz said. “And that is not fair to the people that are paying."
Three years ago, the MTA said fare beating cost the system $1 million dollars a week, the equivalent of 400,000 unpaid rides every seven days.
The agency says it will release new numbers next month detailing just how much worse the problem has become. "Fare evasion, unfortunately, with very few exceptions, is a phenomenon in transit systems,” said President of the New York City Transit Authority Andy Byford. “It's something that you do have to take action to contain."
Some transit advocates say a far bigger factor in the agency’s projected deficits is riders fleeing the system because of poor service. The topic of fare evasion came up Tuesday, at the MTA's first public hearing on its proposed fare and toll increases. "It depletes the money needed to fix the system," said one concerned citizen. Even with the reduced enforcement, the MTA is trying to keep would-be fare beaters in line.
To discourage fare evasion, the MTA has begun posting signs throughout the subway system. You'll begin seeing the signs on the buses as well. Still, one does not have to look far to find New Yorkers beating the fare, a sign that the signs so far are not having the desired effect.
So if you don’t punish bad behavior it will increase. Who’d a thunk it?
Giving people a pass on crime because of skin color sounds like racism to me.
So now that they quit enforcing it, expect to see even MORE as the perps become more emboldened to flaunt their immunity from prosecution for crime.
It’s always about racism, isn’t it? It wouldn’t surprise me, if they decided to only prosecute white males, and let everyone else skate.
The ONLY people I see hanging around subway turnstiles, waiting to grab someone's Metro card or jump the turnstile are BLACKS. I make sure to go through the turnstile which is farthest from these do-nothing predators. Rather than get a job and then buy their own Metro card, they prefer to prey on others who work.
They should just make it free and stop this unwinnable War On Fare-beaters.
Does anybody here know the STAGGERING AMOUNT they take in?!?!
It is NOT fare beating and the PALTRY one million a week it is costing them.
It’s HORRIBLE service and conditions and people taking other means of transportation that’s killing them.
That and bloated unions and boondoggles of every size, shape and color.
YES, fare beaters should be arrested.
No, the million dollars a week is certainly not the reason they’re raising the fare.
And YES, I miss the Rudy days and always will.
Its just reparations.
I can design a turnstile no one can “jump”, that would have little effect on boarding efficiency. In fact, I have several versions in mind. Some are a little more, uh, rambunctious, than others. ;-)
I’m curious - how much does MTA take in from fares?
My only experience with a large public transport system like this is CTA, on occasion, in Chicago. It actually seems tolerable.
Their own budget document says the fare revenue is $6.3 BILLION.
So talking about $52 million as a main focus of their budgetary crisis is absurd.
Yes, fare thieves should be combatted and arrested just on principal, to uphold the law and also to prevent that problem from getting worse.
But as you say, losing $1 million per week is NOT what is screwing up the MTA.
http://web.mta.info/mta/budget/pdf/MTA-2018-AdoptedBudgetFebruaryFinancialPlan_2018-21.pdf
see #11
principle not principal lol
I know that one......
Completely agree.
It’s so stupid to say to people who live here that it’s beyond absurd.
If you’re not from here it may sound like a lot.
But you’re talking MILLIONS of folks every day paying a few bucks and for express buses, 6 bucks.
They just can’t stop spending.
I don’t work in Manhattan anymore. I live and work on staten island.
and i dont miss it.
Thanks. And, agreed.
However, is arresting these low lifes worth the effort? Impound their cell phones, if on train or bus, kick ‘em off, issue a civil summons, and fine them — cell phone to be returned upon payment of fine. ??
You need a turnstile with razor sharp spikes that only retract when the fare is paid. Also ejects poison gas when someone tries to jump over it.
That’d kinda slow up loading. My most extreme version would use a large spring... ;-)
They say fare-beating increased after the Manhattan District Attorney last year stopped prosecuting most cases, a response to concerns that black and Latino violators were being disproportionally singled out.
IOW, if we want to single someone out, it should be the Manhattan D.A., and the freakshow corrupt Mayor should also be charged.
It wouldn’t surprise me if they made only white males pay the fare.
I am so glad I got out of that cesspit.
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