Freeloaders

[Super G]

BIG UPS for The Tide. Today ABC reported if you try to ride The Tide without paying your $1.50; it could cost you $250 big ones. Authorities are cracking down on freeloaders. More transit agencies need to follow their lead.        WMATA!

[WMAveteran]

That's a two-edged sword.  WMATA drivers have been assaulted seriously trying to get passengers to pay the fare.  At some point you have to ask what is the price of your safety and your life because transit police are not on every bus.

[WayneNYC]

Agreed.  I know that often in NYC bus operators will continue driving and flag down a passing police cruiser to deal with farebeaters.  Some will also call supervision who in turn will ask NYPD to respond.

[Super G]

That's a two-edged sword.  WMATA drivers have been assaulted seriously trying to get passengers to pay the fare.  At some point you have to ask what is the price of your safety and your life because transit police are not on every bus.

I'm saying Transit Police need to crack down like The Tide is doing.

[RailBus63]

Fare enforcement goes hand in hand with a Proof-of-Payment system like the Tide.  The agency is getting more productivity out of its operators since they don't have to collect fares, so a portion of those savings need to be spent on enforcement efforts.  Some systems like Buffalo have a very active enforcement presence and have very few problems as a result.

[Tritransit Area]

What is the price of "fare evasion" on the Metro if someone manages to hop in and out of the system without paying?  Does WMATA have the ability to distribute citations for doing this, and which court would handle them since the Metro operates in at least 3 jurisdictions.

[Super G]

The price is extremely  high. The new management is trying to combat it slowly.(elimination of paper transfers, flash passes, not allowing to leave system with a negative balance or transfer with smartrip etc.) Much more needs to be done. They are so behind it's embarrassing. The CFO was quoted as saying that ridership was down on bus and rail when clearly ridership has never been higher as a whole.(at that particular time) She was going on her smartrip numbers disregarding all the patrons who evade the fare thus not being counted. Metro Transit can issue citations for this and it would be handled by the court which presides in the jurisdiction the offense took place. The newly opened Tide Light Rail in the Hampton Roads area are writing$ 250.00 tickets to fare evaders. Most transit agencies have a problem with fare evaders, but WMATA has created a culture in the past for this to multiply ten fold.