New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on April 28 that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has implemented a series of measures to combat fare evasion, leading to a total ticket revenue of $5 billion in 2024, an increase of $322 million compared to 2023. This represents a 67% growth in ticket revenue compared to 2021.
Hochul said, “These numbers prove that our comprehensive strategies to combat fare evasion and fare beating are effective, benefiting both users and taxpayers.” She mentioned that enforcement will continue to be strengthened, infrastructure will be upgraded, accountability will be pursued, and fare evasion rates will continue to decline.
MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber stated that over the past two years, MTA has made significant progress by enhancing facility protection, streamlining payment processes, promoting discounted fare information, and improving enforcement. Plans for continuous improvement include the installation of new modern ticket gates.
With 40% of MTA’s operating budget coming from fares and tolls, efforts have been made to combat the increasing trend of fare evasion. Upgrades in the subway system include reconfiguring 90% of turnstiles to prevent “backcocking,” stationing “gatekeepers” at over 200 stations resulting in a 36% decrease in fare evasion, implementing “delayed opening” measures at over 70 subway stations to prevent misuse of emergency exits, with further expansion planned to 150 stations by the end of the year, and reducing the act of jumping turnstiles by 60% at stations equipped with turnstile sleeves and fins.
Data shows that from the second quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025, fare evasion rates in the New York subway system decreased by 30%, while bus fare evasion rates have been declining for three consecutive quarters.
In the upcoming fall of 2025, MTA plans to begin testing four new designs of ticket gates at select subway stations. Trial gates will be installed at 20 major stations, such as Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, 14th Street-Union Square, and 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal, to determine the final model.
Additionally, in terms of bridge and tunnel tolls, Catherine Sheridan, President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, mentioned that since the joint task force for investigating illegal license plates and toll evasion vehicles was launched in March 2024, enforcement officers have issued over 45,000 tickets, towed more than 4,400 vehicles, and arrested 1,025 individuals. Toll revenue has increased by 44% since 2021.