MTA loses $215 million to fare evasion
Some people blame the new policy that stops the prosecuting fare dodgers, others the fall in ridership due to the system’s failures
The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) in New York expects to lose $215 million to fare evasion in 2018. This is double the amount lost in 2015. The transport agency estimates fare dodgers in buses cost $119 million. People who jump the turnstiles amount to $96 million loses. According to MTA officials, paying bus ridership...
Luxembourg, the first country to have free public transport?
The governments seeks to reduce traffic congestion and preserve the environment
Free public transport is slowly becoming a reality worldwide. Many municipalities offer zero-fare routes and the measure is expanding to bigger cities. Tallin offers free public transport since 2013, except for the train. This March, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced the launch of a study mission on the possibility of no fares...
Annual pass reduces ticketless passengers in Prague
The ticket fine reprieve Nejedeš načerno? turns 4500 fare-dodgers into annual public transport pass holders
Last October, Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) implemented an innovative ticket fine reprieve called “Nejedeš načerno?”(Not black riding, are you?). When caught travelling without a valid ticket, fare-dodgers can reduce the fine by half by buying an annual public transport pass. Since then, more than 4,500 people have turned from ticketless passengers to annual...
Brussels Metro installs double validation system to reduce fare evasion
From now on passengers will have to validate tickets both when entering and when exiting stations
Travellers on Brussels Metro must now validate their tickets both at entry and at exit points at stations, similar to the city’s Premetro system. Starting this month, Brussels’ public transport operator STIB-MIVB installed new gates at one station, with 15 more stations planned to be ready by the end of 2018. The Metro a...
SNCF intensifies its anti-fraud strategy
The French operator will deploy mobile teams of 2 to 8 agents at trains and stations in Occitanie to reduce its 11% fare evasion rate
Fare evasion rate in SNCF Occitanie trains is 11%. This amounts to an annual loss of 8 million euros, equivalent to a TER of last generation. In order to tackle this issue, the French operator will reinforce its anti-fraud strategy. Starting December 9th, SNCF will set up a new customer service organization at stations...
Metal detectors and X-ray scanners at Singapore metro stations
Transport agency LTA will trial them from November 2018 to May 2019
Singapore wants to increase security in public transport with metal detectors and x-ray scanners. The transport entity Land Transport Authority (LTA) has started a six-month trial for enhanced security screening at random Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations. This test can involve up to 6 stations at any given time until May 2019 Some commuters...
Wristbands, a new way to pay for public transport
Vancouver’s transport agency TransLink trials alternatives to Compass Cards
Vancouver’s transport agency TransLink keeps innovating in ticketing options. After deploying the Compass Card fare system two years ago and introducing a Tap-to-Pay system earlier this year, TransLink is testing wristbands an alternative form of paying. “We are always looking for new ways to improve customer experience” they state. Wristbands would work as the...
TransMilenio punishes fare dodgers with cleaning duties
The transport operator in Bogotá loses 477,000 million pesos annually due to fare evasion
More than 600.000 people fare evade every day at TransMilenio, the metropolitan transport system in Bogotá. In order to reduce the amount of people using the public transport without paying, TransMilenio is deploying new pedagogical actions. The latest was punishing fare dodgers with cleaning the floors of stations. They also had to write slogans...
PRESTO fare card system shows “continued performance below targets”
The electronic payment system in Ontario (Canada) is costing millions and does not achieve the expected reliability rates to fully eliminate tickets, passes, tokens and cash
The electronic payment system PRESTO, which works across local transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Ottawa, has a long way to go. According to an internal Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) briefing obtained by Toronto Star newspaper, PRESTO shows “continued performance below targets”. Problems with operating transactions and card readers keep...
Fare evasion crackdown in Rome
Rome's public transport operator ATAC issued a record 16,000 fines in one month
Rome’s public transport agency ATAC is running a new round of ticket checks aimed to reduce fare evasion rates on its fleet of vehicles. Since the start of the year controllers have verified around 2 million passengers, 8,5% more than last year. In a new coordinated effort in September 2018, the agency issued a record...
Trainsfare is an initiative aimed to raise awareness about the global issue of fare evasion in public transport.
We publish articles regularly on the topics of fare evasion, ticketing, public transport finance, technology, and safety and security. Our articles are sourced from mass transit operators and from trusted news sources and publications.
Trainsfare is a project managed by Awaait, a Barcelona-based company developing AI Video Analytics software.