Fare evasion is a costly problem for New York City’s subway system, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is pouring millions into high-tech solutions. But here’s the shocking truth: despite spending $7.3 million to install anti-theft 'fins' and 'sleeves' at nearly every station, fare jumpers are still outsmarting these gadgets with ease. This raises a critical question: are these measures truly effective, or is taxpayer money being wasted on a losing battle?
The MTA recently finalized a deal with Boyce Technologies to expand its fare-evasion barriers to 456 out of the city’s 472 subway stations by January. These barriers include jagged metal 'fins' designed to deter jumpers and 'sleeves' meant to block unauthorized passage through turnstiles. However, commuters who pay their fares are quick to point out that these devices are failing miserably. And this is the part most people miss: even with these barriers in place, fare evasion remains rampant, as evidenced by countless instances of riders effortlessly bypassing them.
For example, at the Jamaica Center station in Queens, a man was spotted casually vaulting over a fortified turnstile, while another woman simply crawled underneath. At the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall stop, within just two hours, multiple individuals were observed jumping over, stepping around, or crawling under the turnstiles. Even stations with additional gate guards, like Union Square, saw six people bypassing the barriers in just over an hour. This begs the question: if these measures aren’t working, what’s the real solution?
Kevin Lightfoot, a 59-year-old musician, didn’t hold back his criticism. After paying his fare, he told a reporter, 'Homies are coming through the whole night. The MTA is wasting money on barriers that don’t work.' He suggested placing obstacles at the bottom of turnstiles to prevent crawling, but quickly added, 'Then they’ll just hop over.' Lightfoot also dismissed the effectiveness of gate guards, calling their presence a 'free paycheck' since they can’t stop fare evaders.
MTA employees, speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, confirmed that people bypass the new devices 'all the time.' One worker bluntly stated, 'Oh, they’re going over, and we’ve got the spikes here. Nothing will stop them.' This sentiment echoes observations from February, when a reporter first documented fare evaders easily defeating the MTA’s shark-toothed barriers.
Despite hiring a consultant to design and test these devices, the MTA has remained tight-lipped about the nature of this testing. Brie, a Bronx-based aesthetician, questioned the value of the $7.3 million expenditure, even though it’s a small fraction of the MTA’s $21 billion operating budget. 'They’re gonna do whatever they want to do,' she said, referring to fare evaders. 'Like they will go over, under, without any repercussion.'
Adding to the controversy, the MTA plans to spend a staggering $1.1 billion on testing 'modern fare gates' as part of its 2025-2029 Capital Plan. These gates, slated for installation at 150 stations, are touted as harder to bypass. Testing is set to begin by the end of this month, according to MTA Chairman Janno Lieber. But with fare evasion already costing the MTA $400 million in 2025 for subways alone, will this massive investment yield better results?
Here’s where it gets controversial: Is the MTA’s approach addressing the root cause of fare evasion, or merely treating symptoms? Could the money be better spent on improving service reliability, cleanliness, or safety—factors that might incentivize more riders to pay their fares? We want to hear from you. Do you think these barriers are a step in the right direction, or is the MTA chasing a costly illusion? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
