Articles

Fare Evasion Faces New Penalties in D.C.
D.C.'s Legislative Response to Protect Public Transit and Its Users

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In response to rising concerns over fare evasion, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has welcomed the Secure D.C. Crime Bill, enabling Metro Transit Police to enforce stricter measures. Effective immediately, individuals caught evading fares must provide their identity, with non-compliance resulting in arrest or a $100 fine. The legislation also escalates penalties for...

NET’s Strategic Policy to Reduce Fare Evasion
Beyond the Ticket: Understanding the Impacts and Implications of Fare Dodging

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In December, Nottingham Express Transport (NET) implemented a “zero-tolerance” policy to combat fare evasion. According to these measures, any tram user found traveling without a valid tram ticket will immediately receive a £70 Penalty Fare Notice “without any questions asked”. This initiative is reinforced by an expanded deployment of plain-clothed officers, highlighting NET’s commitment...

Unexpected Outcome of Tallinn’s Free Public Transit Policy
Free Rides, Rising Car Use: A Paradox in Public Transport Policy

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In the past decade, some cities have considered or adopted fare-free public transit to aid low-income residents and cut emissions. This follows Tallinn, Estonia’s example, which has offered free public transit to residents since 2013, aiming to support lower-income residents affected by the 2008 financial crisis while charging non-residents. This strategy was not only...

Addressing Fare Evasion on Irish Rail
Insights and Strategies from the National Transport Authority's Study

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  A recent study by the Irish National Transport Authority (NTA) has unveiled a 6% fare evasion rate on Iarnród Éireann rail services, the national operation from Ireland, leading to an estimated annual revenue loss of €12.3 million. The study, encompassing nearly 21,000 passengers from January 2022 to March 2023, has been crucial in...

NYC Buses: A Battle Against Fare Evasion
MTA Introduces Rigorous Enforcement to Curb $315 Million Losses

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Since September, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has been enforcing stringent measures to combat fare evasion on city buses, deploying unarmed fare enforcement agents to local bus services.  Fare evasion on buses was responsible for nearly half of the MTA’s total estimated losses of $700 million in 2022. MTA chairman Janno Lieber highlighted the...

Recife Buses Introduce Turnstiles to Counter Fare Evasion
Pernambuco government's move aims to reduce significant revenue losses.

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In order to reduce fare evasion, the Recife Metropolitan Region in Brazil is currently testing turnstiles on 14 bus lines. The Pernambuco government has accompanied this program since it started in June.    The Grande Recife Metropolitan Transport Consortium (Grande Recife Consórcio de Transporte Metropolitano, CTM) has already equipped 32 out of the 41 buses...

Metro DC’s New Strategy to Combat Fare Evasion Proves Effective
Modified fare gates result in a 70% reduction in fare evasion at select stations

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The Washington Metro has witnessed a significant decline in fare evasion, thanks to the introduction of modified fare gates. According to a recent update from the agency, there’s been a 70% reduction in fare evasion at stations where these new gates have been installed. This initiative was a response to increased evasion during the...

Nice Reactivated Fare Gates and Boosted Staffing to Combat Fare Evasion
Lignes d’Azur implemented a comprehensive plan to counteract an annual loss of 5 million euros due to fare fraud.

Niza tram © AWAAIT

The fare gates at Nice’s underground tramway stations have been reactivated after being previously disabled for the COVID-19 crisis due to safety concerns about passenger proximity. Last month, Gal Nofri, the president of Lignes d’Azur, announced this as one of several initiatives to combat fare evasion. This fraud reportedly results in an annual loss...

Fare Dodging in Amsterdam: A Troubling Rise
Amsterdam's GVB reports a 50% increase in fare evasion since the pandemic, launching a campaign to tackle the issue.

Amsterdam tram © Rico Schwab / Unsplash

Since the start of the pandemic in 2019, fare evasion on Amsterdam’s public transportation has increased by 50%, reports the city’s transportation provider, GVB. In 2022, 4.5% of passengers on trams without conductors were found riding without tickets; similar increases were seen on metros, buses, and trams with conductors.  The problem, according to the...

NYC Subway Measures Fare Evasion Using AI
MTA chooses AWAAIT's AI-technology for subway fare evasion monitoring

NYC Turnstiles © Asael Peña / Unsplash

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which operates New York City’s subway, has started employing artificial intelligence (AI) to combat the growing issue of fare evasion, a problem that costs the city hundreds of millions each year.  The AI surveillance software, created by the Barcelona-based company AWAAIT, has been in use in seven subway stations...