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...
Complaints as fare evasion fines in Toronto higher than parking violation tickets
Spike in public transport fare evasion at Hong Kong’s MTR amid protests
Protesters are unhappy with MTR's decision to close some of its key stations and services in August 2019
In the light of the recent anti-government protests in Hong Kong, more passengers using MTR‘s public transport services have been found to be jumping over access gates and traveling without valid tickets. In August 2019, MTR (Mass Transit Railway Corporation) shut several stations and services in protest-hit areas arguing that this would help reduce...
Milan upgrades subway service gates to tackle fare evasion
Fare evasion fines have increased 33% in the past year
In its efforts to reduce subway fare evasion, Milan Transit Authority (ATM) recently announced it will deploy a new improved access gate system. This will become operational at Porta Genova, Cadorna, and Duomo subway stations starting in summer 2019. Compared to the old waist-height turnstiles, the new gates are 1.8m high and have a...
TTC lost $61M to fare evasion in 2018
Auditors general’s report shows fare evasion costed three times more than the Canadian agency previously said and proposes 27 recommendations to fix the situation
Toronto Transit Commission’s prolonged fare evasion issue does not seem to improve. In 2018, TTC lost $61M to fare evasion, according to Toronto’s auditor general report. This figure implies 5.4% of total passengers skipped the fare. It also triples the estimate the agency has consistently defended over time. The bus is the public transport...
Metro de Madrid open fare gates project keeps growing
33 stations keep the fare gates open and only close when a person does not validate the ticket
Last year, Metro de Madrid launched an open fare gates pilot test, keeping the fare gates permanently open for customers, and closing only when someone tries to pass through without validating their ticket. The trial started in February 2018 at Alsacia station and continued at four other stations in late March. Currently, 33 stations...
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
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...
Unlimited electronic tickets at Beijing subway
The Chinese metro system rolls out passes that allow passengers to travel as many times as they want within fixed time periods
Beijing subway has made available five additional unlimited electronic tickets on its subway network, which will be usable on all lines except for the airport shuttle. With these tickets, passengers can now change lines as often as they want within a fixed time period. Tickets will be available for one, two, three, five or...
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...
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...
Hands-free ticketing trialing in Singapore
A six-month pilot test is running at four MTR stations to make it easier for people with disabilities to enter and exit
Singapore is testing a new hands-free ticketing technology to make it easier for people with disabilities to enter and exit stations. The trial, which started late June, will run for six months in four MRT stations and involves 50 participants. The trial will allow Land Transport Authority (LTA) to assess the effectiveness and feasibility...