MTA defends new fare gates in subways despite people 'piggybacking' through | NBC New York 

That buzzer gate is not going to do shit

It's already obvious that the new fare gates DO NOT curb fare evasion. If they did, why do there need to be 3 uniformed police officers standing around watching the gates? Officers should be patrolling the platforms and train carts for the people openly smoking, assaulting/pushing people, etc.

It's even easier for multiple people to go through than the old ones.

It is difficult for me not to believe this is deliberate mismanagement at this point.

This isn’t about evasion at all. It’s about a contractor buddy charging hundreds of millions to install these things. This is how they make money. The fare evasion is just a front /facade

These type of gates are very common in European undergrounds and they don't seem to have this problem. The issue is really the dishonesty of the riders.

The pushing is a safety issue. It gives room for people especially elderly, injured, and disabled to fall or twist their ankle. It also gives room for pickpocketing

Worked several construction sites for the MTA and the amount of wasted money is unbelievable. And they don't care because it's not their money. Think about it if somebody just kept giving you money everyday would you care about conserving any of it? Mismanagement across the board.

MTA isnt too bright if they thought this was stoppin fare evading

It's as if these were designed to make fare evasion a lot easier.

The MTA will do everything but improve the subway system itself… 😂

A buzzer for piggy backing is useless unless there's someone there to enforce. It's like the gates we have now. There's a buzzer that goes off. Does it stop anyone?

This senior advisor needs to be fired immediately

So a green light and a buzzer sound is gonna make people not go through?

The MTA doesn't care. It's not their money, and they just figure they'll charge the public to make up the difference for their bloated pensions through raising taxes or congestion pricing.

Chief accessibility officer saying "we're learning. . ." ,is the most damning statement of incompetence you can hear from someone who is probably making a high six figure salary, if not more. You don't spend $750 million dollars for a frickin learning experience. These gates should never had passed the eye test, common sense tells you that they're ineffective at preventing fare evasion. The MTA is more concerned about how other countries are doing it instead of them using logic for what works best here. Correction, the gates cost roughly $700, 000 installed at the Suptin Blvd station.

In other countries like Japan and Taiwan, you have to swipe to get into the gate and swipe to get out of the gate. If you did not swipe in, you would not be able to swipe out and the alarm goes off. The ticketing agents are watching all gates. That's how they catch you for fare evasion.

I knew this was gonna be a problem and not work. In Boston, they have very similar fare control gates and fare evasion for the MBTA has also been a BIG problem lately. This is exactly what happens there. So what if more people with luggage are paying? Their goal originally was to eliminate it and clearly that’s not happening. What a waste of money.

I thought it was just the kids not paying. There were a whole lotta grown folks fare evading in this video.

At least they’re making fare evasion accessible to everyone 😂

Isn't this what everyone was always doing with old gates? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Meanwhile in Japan they don’t even have doors at ticket gates and ppl still pay the fare 😂

I watched people push and force the similar new ones in DC open to avoid paying. The buzzer option won’t matter; I hear it literally back to back in DC, and there’s little enforcement. It appears from my limited use of the DC system that far more people fare evade than actually pay.

The city saved us 600 million. Thank you.

they need double gates, only one person can get through before the next gate opens

I mean, this is more than just the MTA's issue, it's about a culture and society issue. There's this pervasive idea that as long as people don't get caught, they can do whatever they want and exploit everything and others to maximize their own gain. It's a lack of moral foundation that gives them pause when considering whether they should be doing something or not. The MTA system, and how they're handling upgrading everything, may be lacking, but so are the people who evade paying their fare just because they believe they can.

The best I've seen were those metal gated revolving doors that would prevent this kind of piggy backing though it would be difficult for people with strollers and baggages. I don't think there is a solution to please everyone.

That's why the gates should open TOWARDS you and not AWAY from you. And they should close more quickly. And if people think there's a safety issue, then the Supervisor in charge of that platform should be able to press the PANIC button to allow passengers to escape in case of emergency.

If you read the report, they're putting a good amount of blame on the almost 1 million school kids that uses the system that do not pay all the time.

They should do like in Europe - you have to scan going in and out. And if a transit cop checks your ticket on the train and finds out you haven't scanned in, you're escorted off the train at the next stop and to the nearest gate. They can also adjust the timing on the gates to close more quickly. I'd also be petty and go through slowly to stymie anyone behind me.

This is the kind of incompetence that congestion pricing is paying for.

They need to implement the airport passport system into subways. The system opens one gate, provides access and opens the next one in front. It probably delays the passenger by 10-20s longer but it works.

MTA sighing right now knowing their plan didn't work against fare evasion

It's a money pit. "They" had already promised contractors millions. They knew in advanced it would fail. Follow The Money!!!!!

🤔I never really skip paying but this shii is easier 💀✌️ thanks MTA😂

MTA needs to be free period

The old non innovative way worked and we need to go back to it. Floor to ceiling single person revolving doors in and out. If you have a stroller or big luggage (a small part of the ridership) you have the gate person open and close it for you after you pay.this had always been worked before all these so called new cool looking fair evasion garbage gates. People you just watched 7 people go behind one paying customer😡😡and the MTA innovation groups says…”yeah this is what we want”🙄🙄🙄

Parents with strollers: "I love it!" Fare evaders: "I love it too!!! "♥

The doors should be taller and a second set should be installed so that minimizes piggybacking

Fare evasion will double with these new gates.

When theivery becomes part of a society, no subway gate will stop such practice. The MTA is suffering from fare beaters the same as retailers are losing money to shop lifters.

In London you have to tap to exit. If you didn’t tap on the way in it charges you a higher fare... the risk of this might stop people tailgating, especially if they realise that at their exit station there might be officers who are watching them, and they’ll either have to tap and pay a higher charge or tailgate and risk a fine. They can also make it so the gates won’t allow people to leave at all and require people to have their fare inspected if they aren’t let out. This would also stop people like the lady with the cardboard box. I’ve never been to the US but here in the UK there are signs everywhere on public transport warning you of high fines (£40-100) if you don’t pay, and criminal prosecution if it’s a planned scheme to evade fares.

The design of the gates can be modified with bigger panels, but whoever installed these needs to adjust the door censor to close faster as seen on other gates of similar design. The MTA has to stop going for the low ball offer at this point.

100k fare invaders in 2023 150mil in overtime for NYPD to stop fare invaders make that make since 😂

LAUGHING JOKE HAHAHAHA the MTA is so disconnected from the system they do not use but are in charge of

No one should pay any fee for a unclean condition in a train system like this

they really think a buzzer is going to stop ppl from jumping lmaoo

It's very telling that the official didn't foresee this. After all, piggybacking is not an uncommon method of gaining illicit access. Also, the gate with a buzzer won't do any good if no police are around to apprehend the evaders. The constant buzzing will just be another annoyance. Instead, they should randomly check passengers for proof of payment and issue large fines for evaders.

In the UK, which I am not from but visited often, they have non-law enforcement fare inspectors watching the cameras and on the other side of the fare gates with radios. In busy stations, they will have 20 to 30 of them. They are waiting to stop you and ask for ID and give you a ticket. If you run, the police are close by and give chase and the person gets caught and receives a royal beat down because the British Police don't play. I'd love to know how anyone is getting through these fare gates without paying in NYC and allowed to go on their merry way.

The real problem is that many people in NYC feel that it is fheir right to evade fares and if they have to pay for the subway that somehow makes them less "street smart". I personally seen people make fun of a person who would rather go through the turstile and pay rather then use the exit door which was held by someone as 20 or so people walked in.

he is the adviser. no wonder its a debacle

It’s impossible to please all customers while stopping fare evasion. The only thing that stopped fare evasion in the past was the sentiment around it and the fact that cops used to issue fines. The fare evasion really ramped up once cops stopped issuing tickets and also the price of fares went up. So it was the perfect storm for people who were fed up paying high transit fares and the fact that the trains at certain stations are late and done come very often. Along with that fact that you can’t avoid the homeless and mentally ill people on the subway. No one wants to continue to pay more and more money for that.

The problem is that they're trying to use contemporary tech to solve a cultural issue. This doesn't happen as frequently in places like China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Germany, Singapore, etc because there's a nationwide emphasis placed on discipline, respect for authority, and ethics.

They paid $700,000 to loose more than $700,000.

They should police everyshift watching those gates. 24 hrs a day non stop with the cameras recording their face their movements. Any multiple attempt will be arrested .

It is not the gate. The problem is there is no enforcement. Make the fare evaders paid the fine on the spot and if they can’t take them to jail.

These new gates are great MTA now a whole group of people can ride for free 🤡

As someone who comes from a place where this style of gate is the norm, trying to solve fare evasion with gates is futile. You can't realistically have gates that open long enough for a person to get through, but that doesn't allow people to sneak behind them. The solution to fare dodging is definitely not in the ticket gates

I know the MBTA has those gates as well and I’ve seen people run through them before without paying 🤦‍♂️.

remember the Guiliani years where fare evasion meant an overnight or ovee weekend at central bookings? pepperidge farm remembers.

Arrest these people

Been questioning how the MTA is still in business for many years

Chief accessibility officer still has a job? Isn’t this common sense to check someone could piggyback on an already opened gate with this design before spending $$$$ and now again requires police to monitor this? Unbelievable

It's all come down to people's back ground and education. If your parents don't teach you what's right thing, what's wrong thing to do. Then the law have to step in . Put them away to jail for day or two. See how much things will turn around. Law and order for sure.

Just arrest the people skipping the fairs. If they have money for Jordan’s they can afford the fare. If you dont punish people will not care.

a 2 gate system may solve this problem but slows down clearing crowds. Basically the first gate opens automatically when you approach then closes behind you, then you scan your card so that the 2nd gate opens.

In Porto, Portugal, attendants regularly come through the Metro cars to tap everyone’s cards to see if they were validated when entering the stations. If you don’t have a valid tap, you’re issued a fine of €95. Why couldn’t this be done in NYC, or DC (having problems with fare evasion there too).

They need to make public transportation free

The gate design is stupid and changing these out is just another mta grift. Wonder whose buddy got the contract for these. They will soon say they have no money and raise fares again.

These guys need to see what the BART guys have installed in their West Oakland, CA station. 7 foot high gates, that are NOT going to be pushed and no way do 4-5 people get in off one payment.

This is always going to happen. I am in London as we speak and some kid piggybacked off me on gates that are pretty much the same as those. It's not just the U.S.

Who sold the Mta that bill of goods? They need to held accountable! Total garbage

Jamaica center last stop of E and J trains all most 50 % people don't pay even though cops watching the gate .

First time u get caught, a hefty fine like $300. Every time after that 24hrs in jail and your sentence increases by 24hrs with each repeated offense

As someone from NYC, they don't truly care to solve fair evasion. It's a pervasive issue both on the trains and the buses. The only true solution at this point is to tax NYC residents and make it free.

Maybe it’s not a subway problem, but more of a CITY problem.

Asia don't even have this problem.

Just make public transportation...FREE

Wait so, despite the "epidemic" of fare evasion, the paid fares are up 20% at this station where the new gates are being tested? It sounds like fare evasion isn't actually a problem.

Without enforcement, this is useless.

If you know you’ve lost $630 million, then you can approximate how much needs to be spent on officers at stations to enforce paying a fare. For instance, if $1 million is lost at station y, then you start by spending $100k on part time officers to patrol during the busiest hours. In other words, the more that is spent on officers, the less that is lost. And you continue to spend on officers until you start to see a flat lining of riders paying fares.

This is why they've implemented congestive pricing so that people will not have to pay their fair share to ride the MTA but charge people to drive in New York City and additionally people will have to pay higher prices for all goods and services in the city to subsidize Fair Invaders

MTA should learn from BART by putting 7-foot gates. Eventually someone will figure out how to jump those gates. But both MTA and BART do have that piggybacking flaw, so it's still not a foolproof solution to fare evasion.

Good for them, let the mta open their books so we can see what they’re doing with their money always raising the fares but not raising folks pay…hop the turnstiles yall

Thanks for the free rides!

Just fix the gates to close RIGHT AWAY AFTER a single person walks through instead of them staying open for a few seconds after and not have a sensor to reopen when another person decides to try and push through a few seconds later, like what this lady in the white jacket did here at 0:37! If they get stuck in the gates while trying to do so without the sensor, well then it’ll be a lesson learned for them to not try it anymore, and also make the gates tag on tag off to where people would have to tag again to exit from the other side to avoid people like that one other lady lifting and placing belongings on the other side to activate the “open” sensor. Remove all of the sensors! Problems solved!

That woman saying "i love it, i love it," like i imagine a hostage under duress would

MTA should invest in dual door gate so it can detect another person in the bay and open the gate again to let that person to exit

New Yorkers finding hacks on day one.

The mta is poorly managed. They keep raising the price due to fare evasion shortfall which just lead to more fare evasion. I pay $ 132 for unlimted monthly card. Thats ridiculously expensive for a system that has millions of riders daily. The sheer volume of people going through the system daily should have been enough if the fare was reasonably price. But the cost keep going up and up. They are subsidize and yet the fair keeps climbing so of course people are going to evade the fares. 132 per month, couple that with what you have to pay for rent and other bills. Then we have idiot mayor talking about getting people back in the office when having a remote job save you on transportation. Hell if I find a remote job that saves $132 per month. I woild jump at it. These people live in their ivory tower. They have no clue the struggles that ordinary folks go through to make ends meet. They were suppose to make some of the buses free. Have they done that? Hell no!. All they do is come up with these grand costly schemes to save a buck without giving straphangers anything but higher cost. Heres an idea how about they make the subways free on Sundays or after 10 pm. See if that works to recuperate some of that money. Hell how about half price on weekends. They dont want to fix this. They just want to justify raising the price to combat their poor mismanagement

??? A buzzer sounds, in that second gate option? Does MTA really think a buzzer will deter fare invaders ??? LOL.

Why are we paying into this corrupt system who just spent $2billions on just a few new trains?

Only fare gate that works is a double gate. If more than one person gets past the first gate, the second gate stays shut.

The original system of turnstiles and ticket collectors was impenetrable. Then the MTA took over, the industrial revolution came and automation ruined the whole thing. Now, the public infrastructure has no money, bad ideas and a user base that doesn't appreciate or respect it

Should be free it’s basically just a moving trap house.

A buzzer wouldn't be necessary if the cops weren't too busy on the phone

what about Double Gate system. spread them apart abit more. enough where a person can go thur with suit case and maybe a child. First Gate opens you go thur, 2nd Gate is still closed, 1st Gate Closes behind you, Stopping anyone else from following right behind you. Then 2nd Gate Opens up.

We should have this for Toronto as well! Fare evasion is really bad on the TTC as well. But New York is definitely a lot worse by what it looks like.

Shame on a defunct subway fare invasion system that would never work. "The best way for the MTA to combat and win fare invasions is to implement cameras on all of the turn stiles that can take pictures of people who do not pay their fare. Then the MTA police officers should display their pictures while searching for the fare beaters, arrested them and made them pay a fine of $150 for the first time. Second times a fine of $450. And a third times a fine of $650. Believe me, that will reduce fare invasions by 90 percents on the first year of this program. The buses as well should have cameras that take pictures of fare beaters from the front of the entrance of the bus and back exits/entrance of the buses. Also, inside the buses and the subway platforms and inside the train the MTA should display pictures of people that are fare beaters. Again that will reduce fare invasions on both aspects to 95 percents. The MTA can track those fare beaters down arrested them and made them pay a stif fine. Those on welfares could have their cash assistance reduced and the amount go straight to the MTA collection system. "This anecdote if from a self-educated critical thinker in world's affair." " Overall, the MTA should implemented a Zero Tolerance Policy to Reduce Billions of Dollars of Fare Invasions."

“MAKE THE SUBWAY BETTER” “We need more money” “NOOOOOO THE TAXES ARE ALREADY TO HIGH” “Okay we’ll crack down on fare evaders” “NOOOOO ITS A SAFETY HAZARD” - state of discourse about NY subway 2023-2024