MA: MBTA fare evasion crackdown: Here’s how many people were caught in the first 6 weeks

Six weeks into its increased crackdown on fare evasion, the MBTA has issued dozens of warnings but not yet any monetary fines to riders caught dodging fare gates.

Under a new system rolled out in September, the T will afford each rider one warning before staff begin doling out citations.

The agency’s “fare engagement representatives” issued 85 warnings from the program beginning on Sept. 8 through this Monday, according to MBTA data.

If any of those riders are caught again, fines will start at $50 and eventually climb to $100.

“We’re pleased to report the public has warmly received the Fare Engagement Representative team,” Maya Bingaman, an MBTA spokesperson, said in a statement. “We thank all riders for paying their fares.”

The MBTA launched the ticketing program after nearly a year of posting fare engagement staff at transit stations to speak with riders and answer questions about fares, the agency said. Within weeks of their arrival last October, fare collection at those stations jumped 35%.

Staff are now visually checking for fare payment at some subway stations. Data on which stations had seen the most warnings issued was not immediately available.

The T eventually plans to place fare staff on buses and Green Line or Mattapan Line trolleys as well.

To sustain the MBTA system, “we owe it to our riders and the public at large to do our part and collect all appropriate fare revenue,” MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said in August. “It’s about a responsibility we have and fairness for all.”

The increase in fare enforcement also comes as the Trump administration pressures the MBTA and other public transit agencies to intensify law enforcement on their buses and trains overall.

At a national public transportation conference held in Boston in September, Federal Transit Administrator Marc Molinaro pressured a convention hall full of transit officials to crack down on fare evasion, harassment and assaults — the type of behavior he said escalated into increasingly serious and dangerous crime.

“If you don’t feel safe, nothing else matters,” Molinaro said.

“Assaults, robberies, open drug use, violent crimes on transit systems, fare evasion, all of it — none of it can be normalized,“ he added.

Later that same week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened the federal funding of Boston and Chicago’s public transit systems over a recent pair of isolated assaults against riders.

In response, Eng said the MBTA and federal officials “have a common goal to ensure that riders are safe and feel safe while using public transportation.” He said the T was “a safe, dependable system riders can rely on.”

‘Fair’ policing of fare rules

The MBTA said it has taken steps to ensure “fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory” enforcement of fare rules. Staff were trained on biases, cultural intelligence, de-escalation and other customer service topics.

The T also said it is deploying the fare staff “based on ridership patterns, not geography, to avoid a disproportionate presence in any one community.”

After a written warning, riders are issued $50 civil citations at each of their next three offenses. Only on their fourth or subsequent violations will riders be fined $100.

Uncooperative riders who refuse to provide identification or contact information are asked to leave the station. Staff are instructed to contact superiors and the MBTA Transit Police if the person does not comply. Through Monday, no such situations had occurred.

Certain riders qualify for reduced fares, including people with disabilities, senior citizens and some students. The T has also expanded reduced fares to income-eligible riders between the ages of 18 and 64 who are enrolled in the Department of Transitional Assistance, MassHealth or MASSGrant programs.

The reduced fare program can cut ridership costs by about 50%. Riders can learn more about the program and check their eligibility at mbta.com/reduced.

Bus routes 23, 28 and 29 are also fare-free routes through a pilot program funded by the city of Boston.

The majority of fare checkers speak a second language, but all have access to Google Translate, the T said.

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