Sewell Chan follows up Monday’s bus driver murder with a piece on what drivers can do when riders don’t pay. Considering how exposed and vulnerable bus drivers are, it’s a wonder something this tragic hasn’t happened since 1981.
previous post
Sewell Chan follows up Monday’s bus driver murder with a piece on what drivers can do when riders don’t pay. Considering how exposed and vulnerable bus drivers are, it’s a wonder something this tragic hasn’t happened since 1981.
7 comments
This problem would be completely eliminated by the sort of fare system that cities in Europe implemented decades ago. It’s shocking that drivers have to be put into these sort of situations. C’mon, MTA, join the latter half of the 20th century already.
OK, I’ll bite. What system is that?
On the “SelectBus” routes which have curbside fare collection, is the driver still responsible for issuing transfers, or is that done by the machine at the bus stop? It wouldn’t eliminate fare evasion, but could help in this regard.
Don’t the SelectBus routes just use MetroCards (with MVMs as well as validation machines) at the stops)?
Transfers are requested on the bus, for passengers who pay with coins at the machine at the stop.
Looks like they got him. Fantastic.
The B46 is notoriously bad when it comes to fare evasion and bus driver threats.. This is not new AND its so not new that there should have been either an obvious cop on the bus or undercover ones who ride the bus continuously.
The problem is between Myrtle Ave/Broadway and Fulton Ave/Malcolm X Blvd. That whole stretch of road is the most dangerous part of the whole route.
While this maybe (emphasis on maybe) the first on the job killing for buses in 10+ years, the reality is that there are plaque on the walls of the bus depot that holds the B46 buses of all the people hurt and killed on the line.
———-
As for paying the fair before you get on the bus, I would like to see how that would work. The only thing I see working is a camera on the bus. This way all the fights/robberies that happen on the back of the bus will be recorded, any altercations with the bus driver will be seen, and finally tickets issued for cars/trucks parked in bus stops.
Since this is the best answer, why has it not been done is beyond me.