MTA Expands New Fare Enforcement Technology on Buses

By Y.M. Lowy

The MTA is expanding testing of new fare-checking technology that allows inspectors to verify whether riders paid their fare through the OMNY tap-and-pay system.

The handheld devices, which resemble smartphones, can scan OMNY cards, bank cards, or mobile devices to confirm payment. Riders found without proof of payment may receive summonses.

While the technology was previously used mainly on Select Bus Service routes, the MTA is now focusing much of its testing on express buses. Express routes provide a good environment to train enforcement teams and test the new system before a wider rollout.

The program is modeled after systems commonly used in Europe, where transit inspectors perform random fare checks rather than requiring every rider to pay directly at a turnstile or farebox.

The shift has become possible as the MTA continues its transition away from MetroCards and toward OMNY. Once MetroCards and cash bus fares are fully phased out, inspectors will be able to quickly verify whether a rider has paid electronically.

Fare evasion remains a major challenge for the transit system. Riders can sometimes board buses without paying by entering through rear doors or walking past the driver. According to transit reports, unpaid bus fares have cost the MTA hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue in recent years.