MBTA ready to fine riders up to $100 for fare evasion
Hear ye, hear ye: In Greater Boston, the days of jumping public transit turnstiles, following a friend through a fare checkpoint and slipping onto a public bus without paying are over.
The MBTA said Thursday that it would soon begin cracking down on fare evasion, with agency staff prepared to issue formal warnings and citations to riders who skip the fare gates or fareboxes.
"Our riders deserve a safe and reliable mass transportation system that is available for them when they need it. With strong support, we are making significant progress, but to sustain it, 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 a statement. "It's about a responsibility we have and fairness for all."
The T placed 16 fare engagement representatives at stations last October to answer rider questions about fares. Within weeks, fare collection at those stops jumped 35%, the agency said.
For several months, they have "been conducting fare education outreach" through the transit system.
Starting Sept. 8, the staff, clad in blue MBTA shirts, will begin visually checking fares with support from MBTA Transit Police.
Eventually, the T also plans to station fare checkers on buses and Green Line or Mattapan Line trolleys.
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."
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 booted from the station.
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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