Fare and toll evasion are a significant and growing problem, sapping revenues the MTA, Port Authority, New York City, and the Thruway Authority need to provide critical transportation and transit services. 

CBC’s It’s Only Fair report details the problem and endorses stronger policies—like those included in Governor Kathy Hochul’s Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget—that empower transit and transportation agencies to curb evasion, so that all riders and drivers pay their fair share. This way, transit and transportation agencies can get the resources they need for the quality service and infrastructure investment for the region to thrive. 

Fare evasion on MTA buses and trains has become more pervasive since the pandemic, and using license plate fraud to skirt toll payment is growing in frequency and sophistication. Curbing toll fraud is especially important to ensure the fiscal success of congestion pricing, which is critically needed to support the MTA’s infrastructure. 

The MTA’s 2022 Blue-Ribbon Panel on Fare Evasion estimates the Agency lost $315 million on buses, $285 million on subways, and $44 million on railroads. 

The MTA’s already-active compliance efforts include public education, fare-enforcement teams on buses, pilot programs to make it harder to enter through emergency exit doors, and mechanically adjusting turnstiles so they cannot be turned back to gain entry. 

Still, fare evasion has continued to grow, likely exceeding $700 million in 2023—an amount equal to the funding that would be raised by two rounds of fare hikes. 

The enforcement measures in the State Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget grant the MTA the authority to: 

• Issue warnings for first-time fare evaders (now a first offense results in a summons) and to increase the fine for violating transit rules from $100 to $200 (failing to appear for a summons would be a $50 fine); 
• Forgive the fine for evasion for eligible individual who enroll in Fair Fares—NYC’s fare-discount program for low-income residents; 
• Give a fare card equal to half the fine amount if a second-time fare evader pays their fine in full; and 
• Confiscate fake fare-payment devices, such as forged tickets or cards. 

Proposals to thwart license plate fraud would: 

• Modify the law to explicitly outlaw various fraudulent practices;   
• Increase the fines for such practices; and   
• Strengthen the administrative powers of agencies to enforce the law. 

Enacting these policies would help ensure all users pay their fair share and provide needed resources for public transit and transportation.