The sign at the bus stop reminds me that farejumping comes with a fine up to $150

[conuly]

The fare is $3. If you commute, you take the bus or train twice a day, five days a week. Every week you spend $30*. You'd have to be caught and ticketed more often than once every five weeks in order to make this math not work out in your favor. And that is never going to happen, because there aren't nearly enough enforcement agents. As it is, the ones we have cost more than they make back. It's all a racket, but you'll notice the buses still aren't free because Albany is still in control of the MTA.

* I'm making a few assumptions here, first, that you're not sharing the same card among several family members with staggered schedules; once you spend $35 in a week on the same card, subsequent trips are free. Also, this is the full fare for most buses and trains, but not for the express bus.

Comments

[zavodilaterrarium]

That reminds me, semi-recently I went on the lightrail for the first time. Coming out from the Main Big Station Most People Pass Through, the machine to pay for the trip is completely out of sight, hidden along the wall facing the lightrail. I saw precisely nobody use it, presumably because of the terrible position, so I didn't even realise it was there until I was already onboard, staring at a digital sign reminding us to pay fare or pay a fine... It's ridiculous because it's in better places at different stations/drop-offs. I know it would feel redundant to do what they do with the buses, what with how many doors the lightrail has, putting the machines on the vehicle itself by every door, but it would have at least enticed more people to pay lmao?!

[conuly]

No turnstiles?

[zavodilaterrarium]

Just for proper trains, not the lightrail/trams as they are more akin to buses and thus cannot be gated in consistently.

[redbird]

The surface-level stops of the trolley/light rail (green line) here in Boston don't have turnstiles, and many of those stops don't have fare machines, either: you pay when you get on the trolley, with a stored-value "Charlie Card," electronically (including credit cards and ApplePay), or cash at the front door where the driver sits.

The drivers occasionally get on the PA to tell people "pay your fare" if they notice that someone didn't, and at least one stop has neatly printed signs reminding people that they're supposed to pay when they get on the trolley. I don't know why there's a sign there and not at other busy stops.

On the other hand, sometimes the drivers tell people to just board, because that's faster than waiting for everyone to pay, and they prioritize keeping the trains moving, especially after an earlier delay. A lot of people have monthly passes, so not having them tap their cards doesn't cost the MBTA money.

[redbird]

It makes me wonder who they're hiring as enforcement agents, and whether giving those people jobs is the main goal here (though they won't say that anywhere official, if so).

I remember, when the weekly and monthly Metrocards were introduced, the MTA explicitly said that you could share the card with relatives or friends, or pay the fare for other people, as long as no money changed hands. I sometimes swiped strangers into the subway station as I was leaving, and once or twice had to tell them no, I didn't want their money.

[conuly]

Some of them are cops, some are not, and I don't know what the percentages are.

[brokenallbroken]

I don't regularly use the Metro these days, but when I was commuting up to USC, I remember watching the sheriffs fare check every person of color on the platform, but they skipped me. So not having to pay fare is definitely a privilege thing. (although I did get fare checked other times)