The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) has launched a pilot program at the North Hollywood B Line station fare gates to see if requiring people to tap out of the rail system would help confirm that valid fare was paid.
The agency notes that tapping to exit is not new – it’s a common feature in other major transit systems across the nation, including Bay Area Rapid Transit, Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority and Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Authority.
With the launch of the pilot, riders tap their card and initiate a fare deduction at the start of their trip. At the end of the trip, tapping out will confirm fare was paid and open the fare gates. If riders have not tapped their card when starting their trip, they are in violation of the L.A. Metro Code of Conduct and could be warned, cited or removed from the system. If riders have a valid TAP card, their fare will be deducted when they tap out at the turnstiles but it still constitutes a violation. L.A. Metro notes riders should be sure to buy or reload their TAP card before boarding.
Metrolink riders may present their valid fare to L.A. Metro’s Transit Security Officers (TSO) or use the paid area gate intercoms next to the fare gates to exit. L.A. Metro is placing more TSOs present at the turnstiles during most hours of service. Hands-free, gated intercoms, which connect to L.A. Metro’s Rail Operations Center, will also be available.
L.A. Metro has also increased the visible presence of its teams at North Hollywood Station, including its Blue Shirts, who provide assistance with the agency’s Ticket Vending Machines, its Metro Ambassadors, who help riders navigate the system, connect riders to resources and report issues they see, as well as its law enforcement partners and its TSOs. Representatives from the agency’s Low Income Fare is Easy program will also be available to enroll riders into the program.
