Subway fare evasion worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has remained a persistent issue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Fare and toll evaders cost the MTA $1 billion in 2024, according to a report released last month by the Citizens Budget Commission. “We’re at a point this is turning into a real financial conundrum for the agency,” said former CBC researcher Alexander Heil, now adjunct professor of sustainability management at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies.

The MTA is forgiving of users of the transit system who are struggling financially. They can turn to the Fair Fares NYC program for discounts. The MTA modified turnstiles and hired guards to tackle fare evaders, and yet many remain defiant and slip through. Why pay for a subway syste

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