Tackling Fare Evasion in Bergamo: A Growing Challenge for ATB and TEB
Economic Impact, Enforcement Efforts, and a Creative Awareness Campaign

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Fare evasion in public transport has become an increasing concern for ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) and TEB (Tramvie Elettriche Bergamasche) in Bergamo. The fare evasion rate reached 7.5% in 2023, up from 6.3% in 2022. This rising trend has continued until 2024, highlighting the need for urgent and effective measures. Fare evasion causes significant...

Turin’s Comprehensive Checks Reveal High Rate of Fare Evasion on Public Transport
A Third of Passengers on Turin’s Buses and Trams Caught Without Tickets

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The San Carlo Carabinieri and GTT conducted comprehensive fare evasion checks on Turin’s public transportation system from Friday, May 31, to Sunday, June 2, 2024. The inspections targeted 4, 11, 55, and 58 bus and tram lines in the City Centre District, affecting 23 vehicles and about 750 passengers.  The operation revealed that 210...

LA Metro Introduces Tap Out System to Combat Fare Evasion
Pilot Program at North Hollywood Station Aims to Reduce Fare Evasion and Enhance Security Measures

In order to reduce fare evasion, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) has launched a new pilot program at the North Hollywood B Line stop. Starting last week, Metro riders must tap their transit cards both when entering and exiting the station. This new requirement, a significant departure from the current system...

Milan’s Metro Tackles Fare Evasion with New Dual Strategy
Implementing Enhanced Surveillance and Technological Innovations

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Over the past three years, Milan’s metro has seen a troubling increase in fare evasion, rising from 1% to 4%. A seemingly Olympic discipline, “turnstile jumping” has not only become more common but has also evolved into various forms, including pushing through and sneaking behind others at barrier-equipped entries. Recognizing the financial drain—a single...

Muni Hires Additional Fare Inspectors
San Francisco's Muni Faces Rising Fare Evasion, with figures doubling since 2019

© Brett Sayles /Pexels

As of 2024, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates Muni, is facing a significant increase in fare evasion rates, which have almost doubled from 12.8% in 2019 to an estimated 20.8%. In response, Muni is considering increasing its workforce by hiring additional fare inspectors, aiming to return to the staff levels...

New York City Deploys 800 Officers to Combat Subway Fare Evasion
Increased Law Enforcement to Address Safety and Fare Compliance in NYC Subways

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New York City has increased its efforts to combat subway fare evasion by deploying 800 additional police officers. This measure, announced on March 25, 2024, aims to tackle the sharp rise in turnstile-jumping:  over 1,700 people have been arrested this year for turnstile-jumping, up from 965 in 2023, and 28,000 tickets have already been...

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...

MTR’s Response to Fare Evasion: Increased Penalties and Inspections
Over 600 Cases Identified in a Week, Including Misuse of the Government's Discount

20230714_TF_MTR_MeasuresFareEavsion Midjourney image promped by AWAAIT

In Hong Kong, A citywide campaign against fare evasion has been started by the MTR Corporation in coordination with the Transport Department. Between June 25 and July 3, they reported 671 occurrences of ticket evasion, 89 of which involved the abuse of the government’s $2 travel discount program.  To reduce fare evasion, the MTR...

MTA’s New Approach to Fare Evasion: A Focus on Education, Equity, Environment, and Enforcement
The Four E's of MTA's Anti-Fare Evasion Strategy Unveiled in the Blue-Ribbon Panel's Inaugural Report

MTA's Anti-Fare Evasion Strategy NYC subway Midjourney image promped by AWAAIT

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Blue-Ribbon Panel on Fare Evasion released its first report, outlining a number of proposed improvements, during a press conference on May 17th. The report was intended to address the growing issue of fare evasion. The report notably devotes four pages (55–64) to discussing four areas where the MTA intends...

MTA’s Pioneering Methodologies to Measure Fare Evasion
The synthesis of traditional surveys and state-of-the-art technology creates a robust blueprint for fare evasion measurement

Mearuring fare evasion in Public Transport Midjourney image promped by AWAAIT

On May 17, the Blue-Ribbon Panel for Fare Evasion of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) issued a report detailing the problem and outlining its two methods for measuring it. According to the most recent data, a concerning pattern has emerged: fare evasion rates increased significantly from pre-pandemic levels of 3 to 6% to 13.5%...