Brussels’ STIB-MIVB considers anonymity for ticket inspectors after fare dodger attack
STIB ticket fines bear the names of the inspectors issuing them

Metro in Brussels © Sebastien Le Derout / Unsplash

A recent attack on a ticket inspector in Brussels has prompted the city’s public transport operator STIB-MIVB to reconsider the disclosure of their names. An inspector who issued a fine to a man who crossed the turnstiles without paying was assaulted by the fraudster at his home a few days later. STIB representatives said...

Helsinki’s HSL to cut long-distance ticket prices and increase penalty fares
Residents living in peripheral areas will benefit mostly from the price cuts which will come into effect starting 2020

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As stated by HSL’s Executive Director Suvi Rihtniemi in a recent press release, the price cuts come as a measure aimed at helping to cut carbon emissions, : “This is the first time in our 10-year history we make such significant fare cuts. We will lower the fares for the longest journeys, as switching...

Complaints as fare evasion fines in Toronto higher than parking violation tickets
Fines can be 10 times greater than parking tickets even though the annual income of commuters is much lower than that of car owners

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The high discrepancy between fines has sparked public debate among commuters who feel they are treated unjustly and that the current amounts are not clearly justified. Forgetting to pay or to display a car parking ticket in Toronto can cost between $30 to $150 depending on time and areas. In contrast, traveling without a...

Extra measures to fight fare dodging on Rome’s ATAC public transport network in 2019
In the first 7 months of 2019, 36% more passengers were checked and 42% more fines were issued, compared to the same period in 2018

Rome's fare evasion crackdown

With four million trips taken daily on Rome’s ATAC network, the public transport operator is taking extra measures to ensure that its revenue is not affected by fare evasion. In the first 7 months of 2019, 2 million 200 thousand passengers were checked (36% more than the same period in 2018), and 134 thousand...

Transport for New South Wales takes tougher measures to reduce fare evasion
Since the implementation of the Opal Card in 2012 fare evasion has been in decline but it still cost taxpayers $83m in 2018

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Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) released new fare evasion figures. Reports show that the highest fare evasion rate has been on the Hunter line – at 13.6% over one year, equaling to revenue losses of about $351.000. TfNSW issued $1.4m in fines on this line from June 2018 to May 2018. In total,...

Fare evasion prosecutions fall 96% in New York
Despite the decrease in arrests, fare evasion is still high and costed MTA $215 million in 2018

Fare evasion prosecutions fall at MTA

In February 2018, New York’s District Attorney Office introduced a new policy which decriminalized fare evasion by shifting from court citations to administrative fines. The objective was to “reduce inequality and unnecessary incarceration” for skipping a fare of $2.75 at Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA). A year later, statistics show a drop of 96% fare...

Punishment-free fare evasion in Berlin?
Investigation and punishment of fare evasion is “a waste of resources” according to the city’s Attorney-General

Punishment-free fare evasion in Berlin?

Decriminalizing fare evasion in public transport is becoming a tendency. Many cities in the United States have recently moved from court citations to administrative fines to speed up the judicial process. Now, Berlin suggests switching to a fully punishment-free system. Currently, fare evasion is a crime with potentially significant consequences such as large fines...

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

MTA loses $215 million to fare evasion

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...