The ongoing growth of fare evasion on the MTA NYC Transit bus, subway and commuter rail in 2024 will come close to matching the loss of  $700 million in 2023.

It is time for the MTA to join elected officials to launch a full-scale marketing campaign to shame those deadbeat riders into paying their fares.  Advertising panels should be placed both outside and inside buses with the words “If you don’t pay your fare, this bus might not be available to board.”

The same advertisements should be posted at all subway and commuter rail road stations, along with inside every subway and commuter rail car.  Public service announcements should be made on all buses, subway cars and commuter rail cars reminding riders that if everyone doesn’t pay their way, the bus, subway or commuter rail train you are currently riding might not be there tomorrow.  Your waiting time for the next bus, subway or commuter rail train may be longer than you like.

Public service announcements should run on all radio and TV stations. Full page ads should be placed in every weekly and daily newspaper.

All elected officials should include this information in any future newsletters sent to constituents.  When speaking at any public forum, elected officials need to instill in the audience the importance of paying their fare.

New York City district attorneys need to work with the MTA and enforce the law.  Taxpayers and honest commuters who pay should not have to tolerate this theft of service.

City Hall, Albany and Washington are not going to continue providing billions annually to the MTA when year after year, they refuse to put their own fiscal house in order, including dealing with fare evasion.

A significant reduction in fare evasion during 2024 could raise several hundred million more in revenue. The technology exists to punish fare beaters. Failure to pay tickets issued by police should be deducted from any future city, state or federal tax refund. Other government benefits paid for by taxpayers should also be withheld.

The MTA, including NYC Transit bus and subway, MTA Bus, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, need to do a far better job in dealing with fare evasion.

It is unfair to keep asking commuters to pay a higher fare and continue to see so many who routinely go unpunished for not paying their fare.

Larry Penner
Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.