MTA: 'fare agents' to be implemented citywide to crackdown on fare evaders on buses
MTA Chair Janno Lieber says bus riders can expect to see these agents on buses enforcing payment and deterring fare evaders.
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MTA Chair Janno Lieber says bus riders can expect to see "fare agents" on buses to enforce payment and deter fare evaders.
Lieber says the agents will ride on the bus and validate payment.
A report from the Citizen's Budget Commission estimates that last year, the city lost about $568 million to fare evasion on buses alone.
News 12 spoke with commuters about if they think the agents will work, and the reactions were mixed.
"No, this is New York," said a commuter named Anita.
Commuter Kenneth Phillip was more optimistic.
"I think it will help," he said.
Lieber says the goal is hold repeat offenders accountable.
“To make it clear not we're not interested in getting first time fare evaders sent to jail. But if you're fare evading every day for years, if you are piling up tickets on that, maybe it's time the criminal justice system deal with it differently. And we're talking to DA's and the NYPD about getting that," said Lieber.
A rider named Jamil says he wants to see the city also making an effort to help New Yorker's pockets.
“It’ll discourage people from doing it as much, but again we’re getting crushed by rent and transportation. Affordability is a problem in New York," said Jamil.
The MTA says it is still in the planning stages, but the fare agents will likely be system-wide once tap-and-ride is fully implemented.
