MBTA commuter rail riders to face new fare collection system at busiest station
A week after announcing it would begin cracking down on fare evasion at subway stations, the MBTA said Friday that it would also install fare collection gates for commuter rail trains at South Station.
Riders passing through the bustling downtown station, the T's busiest hub, could begin to see installation as soon as next week, with the fare gates operational by this winter.
"The public has a right to expect us to do our part and to ensure revenue is collected," MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said in a statement.
The T installed fare gates at North Station in 2022. During installation at South Station, riders may see construction but can expect minimal impacts to commuter rail service, the agency said.
On the commuter rail, fare collection can sometimes be sporadic. Station fare gates are an industry standard that make fare collection more consistent, the MBTA said.
"These fares support our operations budget and are important to continuing the delivery of safe, reliable and more frequent rail service," Eng added.
The T will install 40 gates at South Station, 11 of which are wide enough for wheelchairs, scooters, bicycles, luggage and strollers to pass through.
An MBTA tap-to-pay gate.Charlie McKenna/MassLive
Riders will be required to tap or scan their tickets to enter and exit at South Station, but will still need to show their tickets to conductors on board to verify they are traveling the paid-for route.
On local train routes, the T said last week that agency staff would soon begin issuing formal warnings and citations to riders who skip the fare gates or fareboxes.
Starting Sept. 8, staff clad in blue MBTA shirts will begin visually checking fares with support from MBTA Transit Police at some Red, Orange, Green and Blue line stops. Eventually, the T also plans to station fare checkers on buses and Green Line or Mattapan Line trolleys.
After placing "fare engagement" staff at some stations last October to answer rider questions about fares, the T said it saw fare collection at those stops jump 35%.
Riders caught dodging fares will first be given a warning. Staff will ask for identification or for the rider's name and contact information if they are not carrying an ID.
After a written warning, a rider's next three offenses will earn $50 civil citations. Only on their fourth or subsequent violations will riders be fined $100.
Uncooperative riders who refuse to provide identification or contact information could be removed from the station.
The agency said it has taken steps to ensure "fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory" enforcement of fair rules. Staff were trained on biases, cultural intelligence, de-escalation and other customer service topics.
The T also said it was deploying the fare staff "based on ridership patterns, not geography, to avoid a disproportionate presence in any one community."
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.
More MBTA news
Read the original article on MassLive .
