The MTA is taking action to combat fare evasion at the 61st Street-Woodside subway station, a critical transit hub home to the 7 train and Long Island Railroad (LIRR) in Queens. The targeted action is part of the agency’s broader initiative to address fare evasion throughout the city.
It also follows an amNewYork investigation into ongoing fare evasion at the hub and other stations throughout the city this year.
To address the illegal scourge in Woodside, the MTA installed spiked metal barriers and new metal “half moon” sleeves on turnstile arms recently at the station. Both devices are designed to make jumping more difficult for anyone trying to leap their way around paying the $2.90 fare.
During an Aug. 30 visit to the station, just days after the barriers and half-moon sleeves were installed, amNewYork observed that no one jumped the turnstiles. Two uniformed NYPD officers were standing guard at the time.
amNewYork observed a continual parade of straphangers entering the station, many about to jump the newly sleeved and spiked turnstiles before stopping in their tracks after noticing the officers. A line of straphangers then formed at the MetroCard vending machine to refill their cards.
About 15 minutes into amNewYork’s visit to the station, the officers left the entrance to do platform patrol, which seemed to encourage the fare evaders.
Not five minutes after the police left, straphangers sprang into action to evade the fare. Within those brief moments, amNewYork observed at least five people jumping over or crawling under the turnstile to get a free ride on the 7 train, though the vast majority of people who entered the turnstile followed the law and paid to do so.
amNewYork contacted the MTA for comment on the changes to the station and is awaiting a response.
The agency first installed spiked barriers and half moons this year at stations including Lexington Avenue-59th Street and Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall/Chambers Street in Manhattan.
An amNewYork photographer stationed at Brooklyn Bridge-City/Chambers Street noted on Feb. 16 that several public transit users jumped the sleeved barriers with relative ease, similar to how they breached the spiked turnstiles a month prior at Lexington Avenue-59th Street.
The MTA loses about $700 million each year in unpaid fares and tolls, revenue that is crucial for maintaining and improving public transit service. The turnstile modifications are part of an ongoing effort to thwart fare evasion throughout the city, the agency has repeatedly said.
Though the MTA plans to start installing modern fare gates this year to further crack down on illegal behavior, the agency reports that it has seen results from its recent fare evasion efforts.
“We’ve already accomplished a 36% reduction in subway fare evasion,” said Janno Lieber, MTA chair and CEO, said during a July board meeting. “This year we’re going to install modern fare gates in 20 stations, but it’s going to be a couple of years until we have a significant number of stations outfitted with that in a way that we could translate that into financial plan projections.”
Meanwhile, a fare increase for NYC trains and buses to $3 is expected in January. A 25-cent fare hike is also planned for express buses.
The agency held three public hearings in August about the proposed fare changes. The public can also leave comments at various subway customer service centers, mobile sales vans and LIRR and Metro-North stations through Sept. 12.
A full schedule is at mta.info.
