New York City police officers have arrested over 15,700 people for fare evasion this year, the Daily News reported earlier this week. According to Pete Donohue, this total represents an 11 percent increase over the 2009 numbers, but police officials “refused to say” if the increase came about because of a decline in station agents or if the NYPD has ramped up enforcement efforts in light of fewer MTA employees manning the system’s entrances. Summonses for fare evasion has remained constant at approximately 50,000 this year, and fare evaders only for their fifth violation or if they have a criminal record.
Meanwhile in an effort to capture revenue from nearly three million unpaid summonses, the Transit Adjudication Board is offering a month of late-fee amnesty for the violators who have not yet paid their fines. As Tom Namako of The Post reports, from October 1-31, TAB will waive late fees and interest penalties in the hopes that more people will pay their fines. Usually, police officers issue approximately 125,000 summonses annually for quality-of-life violations ranging from graffiti to unruly conduct to seat-hogging, but only around 83,000 of those fines are paid in full. This year, says Namako, TAB expects cops to dole only 112,000 tickets.
1 comment
As a fare beating professional I know where/when I can farebeat and where/when not to. Easy just wait upstairs or behind the turnstyle till the train comes. Always look for undercover or regular police. If they are there you pay. If not then go for it. The dummies get caught by not looking and then jumping. Also 2 people in booth you pay.