Subway fare evasion is decreasing due to new MTA measures: new report

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- People going to extremes to avoid paying for the subway is nothing new, but a new report is showing just how much the city is losing, and what new technology has helped cut down on crime.

It's not hard to spot the subway toll beaters leaping, hopping, climbing, shimming and squishing in, sometimes two at a time, to avoid the fare.

Some simply walk through the emergency exit doors.

Last year, people fare-evaded more than 300 times every single minute in New York City, according to a newly-released report.

"In 2024, we estimate that the MTA lost nearly $1 billion to fare evasion," Ana Champeny said.

She's with the Citizens Budget Commission, a non-profit watchdog group which examines how your tax dollars are spent.

"Here we looked at fare evasion, which has been a really serious challenge for the MTA," Champeny said.

It's a strain on everyone who pays to ride public transit, money that's supposed to go towards improving train service and keeping them running on time.

There is some good news. Over the past year, toll evasion has declined while ridership has increased.

"We expect their losses in 2025 will be lower, but there's still a ways to go," Champeny said.

The report shows that more people have been given civil summonses for toll jumping, more arrests have been made, stations with gate guards have had a decrease in fare evasion and the new changes to subway openings have helped.

The MTA spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on new turnstiles at some stations, with metal sides and fins on the gate.

This fall, they're testing out four different types of new fare gates to cut down on evasion. Although, some people have already found a way to power through them.

"The numbers that they have released suggest that they are seeing decreases in evasion at stations where they have implemented those," Champeny said.

In response to the report, the MTA said in part, "We've made important progress. Overall, subway fare evasion is down 29% this year, and where there are guards at stations it's down 36%."

"We have no plans to let up on this crusade any time soon," the MTA said.

When asked where the MTA could do a better job when it comes to their budget, Champeny answered, "to call for transparency and efficiency."

"You know as a taxpayer, we have a right to demand that our dollars be used efficiently and they not be squandered or wasted," she said.

When it comes to toll evading on buses, the city's experiencing an even bigger problem: guards can't be stationed on every bus. But the number of bus fare evaders has gone down every quarter since last year.

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