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 pandemic, with the Metro estimating 13% of Metrorail fares went unpaid.
The new polycarbonate fare gates, which are stronger and higher than the old ones and were installed in March with a $35 million budget, have decreased fare evasion by nearly 70% in the first six stations. For instance, fare evasion rates at Mount Vernon Square dropped from 15% to just 2%.
Metro’s CEO, Randy Clarke, emphasized the significance of the effort for revenue collection and system security. To increase transparency, Metro now posts daily fare information on its website, enabling the public to evaluate the success of their fare evasion reduction strategies.
