NYC faces surge in bus fare evasion as MTA loses millions in revenue

Jack Aylmer

THE BUSES ARE PACKED, BUT THE FARE BOXES ARE EMPTY. EVERYDAY IN NEW YORK CITY, NEARLY ONE MILLION RIDERS HOP ON THE BUS WITHOUT PAYING A DIME. IT’S A GROWING FINANCIAL CRISIS FOR THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

THIS ISN’T A NEW PROBLEM, BUT IT’S CERTAINLY A GROWING ONE. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, ABOUT ONE IN FIVE RIDERS EVADED FARES. NOW IT’S CLOSER TO ONE IN EVERY TWO. NEARLY 50 PERCENT OF BUS RIDERS SKIPPED THE FARE ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA FROM THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. 

THAT’S COMPARED TO JUST 14 PERCENT OF SUBWAY RIDERS WHO DIDN’T PAY. DESPITE THESE NUMBERS, OFFICIALS HAVE POURED RESOURCES INTO POLICING THE SUBWAYS, DEPLOYING OFFICERS AND PRIVATE SECURITY, WHILE BUS FARE EVASION GOES RELATIVELY UNCHECKED.

AND THAT LACK OF ENFORCEMENT HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THE MTA REPORTED LOSING $315-MILLION-DOLLARS  LAST YEAR FROM BUS FARE EVASION AND ANOTHER $285-MILLION-DOLLARS FROM SUBWAY FARE DODGERS. THE CRITICAL LOSS IN REVENUE COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE AGENCY IS ALREADY FACING A PROJECTED DEFICIT NEARING $ONE-BILLION-DOLLARS BY 2028. 

EXPERTS SAY PEOPLE AREN’T PAYING BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, CONVENIENCE, AND A PERCEPTION THAT BUS FARES ARE OPTIONAL. THERE ARE ALSO SAFETY CONCERNS THAT HAVE KEPT BUS DRIVERS FROM CONFRONTING FARE EVADERS. 

AS THE CITY  STRUGGLES TO FIND A SOLUTION, THE DEBATE OVER HOW TO BALANCE ENFORCEMENT WITH FAIRNESS CONTINUES. 

WE’LL BE WATCHING CLOSELY TO SEE HOW MTA HANDLES THIS ONGOING CHALLENGE.