UPDATE: Friday at 1 p.m. July 12: After West Side Rag contacted the MTA and published this story Thursday afternoon, the Rag visited the West 86th Street #1 station at evening rush hour and again late Friday morning. Private security guards had been deployed on the downtown platform, and NYPD officers patrolled the uptown platform during WSR’s evening visit. On Friday morning, security guards were back on the downtown side, and WSR saw them stop at least half a dozen people from attempting to enter through the unlocked gate without paying. However, there was no one guarding the uptown side, and a steady flow of fare evaders continued to simply walk onto the platform.
One security guard told the Rag there were plans to fix the gate locks “over the next week.”
By Ed Hersh
After weeks of renovations and closures, the 86th Street #1 train platforms reopened in late June with new floors, new lighting, and new benches — but with something else as well: gates with no locks that allow fare evaders unfettered access to the platforms.
The emergency gates, which are usually locked from the inside with a “panic bar,” have had no visible locking mechanisms inside or outside for weeks since the station reopened. As the West Side Rag watched on a recent morning, non-paying passengers walked in freely on both the downtown and uptown platforms, and others held the gate open for fare evaders to enter.
Ironically, it was just back in May that the MTA announced a major crackdown on fare evasion, estimated by the Citizens’ Budget Commission to have cost a whopping $690 million in lost revenue in 2023 alone, according to City & State news site.
“People who pay say, ‘Why am I a sucker seeing everybody walk through the gate?’” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber told City & State in May. “It creates a sense of disorder in a public space where you really can’t have that feeling. People are not going to feel safe if they see everybody breaking the rules before they even get on the subway.”
But that’s just what I witnessed on both the uptown and downtown sides of the 86th Street station. I was on the downtown side as several people waited for a train to arrive and then simply walked in and onto the train. “They say they are waiting for new hardware,” a station employee standing outside the token booth said, as I watched people walk by him and through the gates unimpeded. “People just don’t care.”
West Side Rag contacted the MTA for comment and received this emailed response from spokesperson Joana Flores:
“The MTA has contacted the contractor responsible for performing select repairs and asset replacement at that subway station and surrounding fare array. The contractor is correcting the condition. Until that occurs however, security guards have been sent to the station to ensure customers pay the fare when entering.”
The Rag, however, did not initially see any security personnel during several recent rush-hour visits early on Thursday, but did spot the new guards that evening and again on Friday morning.
The Rag also contacted City Councilmember Gale Brewer’s office Wednesday. She emailed back that she had not been aware of the situation, but after we shared our reporting with her, she said: “I contacted the MTA and it is my understanding that they are expecting to receive temporary hardware tonight (Wednesday) with installation commencing tomorrow through Friday. This temporary fix will secure the gate.”
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The level of incompetence combined with corruption by all parties is remarkable.
There seems to be a really easy short-term solution here – put a police officer at the door. Then there are two options – either have the officer stand there to stop this from happening.
Or have them stand on the other side of the door and issue tickets (I believe it would be $100) to everyone they catch going through illegally. Someone I know got a $100 ticket when an officer saw them using their child’s student metro card (even though they had a good excuse). This is no different.
This could be very lucrative for the MTA. I know NYPD has limited resources but given the frequency with which this is happening, this seems to be a good use of a police officer. And if they hand out tickets it will more than pay for itself.
I got off the at the uptown 86th Street station at about 6:30 tonight and there were two MTA employees standing at the door. So I guess they got the memo.
Glad to hear that. However, before the station re-do, both the up and downtown 86th St. stations have been routinely flooded with kids holding the exit doors around 3 pm when school is in session. With their iphones, earpods, and fancy sneakers, none of these kids look too poor to pay the fare.
Schoolkids all get free Metrocards. I see this a lot, too, and it bothers me. Mostly, they’re either being lazy or playing at being “cool.” (Maybe they’re saving their swipes for later — they get 2 per day, I think — but I think mostly they’re not….)
Waiting for an appropriate time to mention this, but Sunday night (7/7) around 8:30 p.m., I caught the bus at 79 and Broadway. Following me on the bus were six young men (20s). They just strode in, with absolutely no intention of paying. I asked the bus driver why they didn’t have to pay, as I dutifully had. She just gave me a look that said “I really don’t care”.
Thanks, MTA.
Why should I bother to pay my fare? There is no incentive.
(For identification, the number above the front window of the bus was 9854. The number on the outside of the bus was 128.)
Bus drivers are specifically told not to engage as there is a real risk of them being assaulted. Remember, there is no protective barrier between her and the 6 men. I’m not sure what you think she should do, but I do know that she doesn’t want to risk a confrontation for $18.
Well, if people knew they’d be arrested and go to jail for assaulting a bus driver, they wouldn’t do it. But since there’s no longer any penalties for so many crimes in NYC anymore, we have lawlessness.
While I see farebeating every day, especially upsetting recently on the M11:
Two 20-something men got on at the back door npt paying and then sat down in a crowded bus and chatted about an upcoming “dance party” they were going to in Miami – and while elderly people were standing.
Same thing has been true at 79th St for months now, but I was down there this morning and saw them working on it!
The Rag gets results!
I commented on this issue a few weeks ago. It’s the same downtown at 79th St. When I observed it, the lock was actually duct taped so that it couldn’t lock. I shudder to think how many more stations this is happening at.
But the MTA still wants money because they have a budget deficit.
The MTA is probably the worst run agency in NYC (and that is not easy to do … it’s a very competitive landscape).
Seen at the uptown 86th St #1 train station: a Yellow tape wrapped around the exit door ripped open and people walking in without paying. What did they think would happen?
Also, with the removal of the station operator box, I’m not sure how the MTA is going to stop this rampant fare non-payment.
Terrible situation and one that has been brought on by the MTA.
Not surprising that fabulous Andy Byford left the MTA !
No chance of change ever. Sad and should be changed.. Compare this with the way they run the transit systems in the UK and Europe…. No comparison!
Another example of the efficiency of the MTA MONEY TAKING ASSOCIATION.
Oh no! You mean people don’t want to pay $2.90 for the 1 train where someone was literally set on fire by an emotionally disturbed person a couple months ago (happened more than once with police nabbing him after it went viral), stations are all 100 degrees plus and most cars have broken AC. With the oldest train cars in the transit system and funds were reallocated to Westchester and the metro north instead of the 1. Where do our funds go? The MTA clearly does not care about the communities the 1 serves so why would you support that.
“most cars” on the 1 train do not have broken ACs. I am on the 1/2/3 every Am and PM. Newer cars (2 trains) are quite cool. Older cars (1 and 3) have occasional cars with broken ACs, prob less than 5%, maybe less than 2%. Easy enough to move to a car that is cool. Cooling on 1/3 not quite as good as on the 2 but it is good enough.
Why do people write such exaggerations?
The platforms are indeed very hot, especially at 96th.
If you use it and *can* pay, you have a responsibility to pay, however poorly the system is run.
If they don’t like the level of service provided for $2.90, they should use an alternate means of travel. There’s no justification for stealing a service they feel is overpriced for what they get in return. Twisted logic.
“The Rag also contacted City Councilmember Gale Brewer’s office Wednesday. She emailed back that she had not been aware of the situation”
This issue has been obvious for a long time now to everyone who rides the subway, would be very curious to ask the council member how often she takes the subway!
All New York City Agencies have stopped doing their employment obligations. They’ve surrendered because they still receive a paycheck and their lives are made easier. Why not charge every person in NYC $100 a year and make MTA Subways and Busses free. People receiving benefits would have the money removed in increments. That would bring in a guaranteed $825 million or so. They would have some sort a fee applied to tourists.
80% of the Emergency Exit Gates system wide open if if you just pull hard on the handle.
These stories are infuriating, the MTA whining about the congestion toll not going through and then doing squat about the constant fare evasion. Get rid of these damn gates and put in the revolving ones.
Quick follow-up: Do these “revolving ones” allow for the ingress/egress of fare-paying wheelchair-bound New Yorkers or families with child strollers? If so, I second your suggestion… get rid of these damn gates and put in the revolving ones!
Nope. And if you happen to be dealing with a lot of packages, or a suitcase, or just don’t have much upper body strength, you can feel very trapped in those things.
You can’t only have revolving gates. Imagine if there was emergency – people would probably literally be crushed/killed if you could only exit one at a time via a revolving gate.
Subways and NY Transit (City) buses should be free or have nominal fares at point of use,. Streets and avenues are free at point of use.
This whole city has the worst leadership and management and we all just keep voting for the same people. Do you really think this would be going on if we had better leadership and things were enforced?
It’s the people in charge allowing this mess to happen and we the people who are paying for it with our highest taxes in the country to cover for their corrupt and inadequate leadership.
Literally every time I am on a bus there are people walking in the back door not paying- I don’t mean the buses where you get a ticket first, I mean regular buses. People just walking right in as if this is totally normal- all income levels of people, different colors of people, some parents/guardians w kids (setting a great example!), younger, older, doesn’t matter, It boggles the mind.
How many $$$ are lost this way? And how did this become a thing?
When they realized that there are absolutely NO consequences for their actions in NYC.
The “B” and “D” station on 86th is just as bad at the 87th and 88th Street entrance. Hardly anyone pays their fare. I do but that’s just me.
The same thing goes on at the L train Rockaway Parkway Carnise stop. This station was renovated and a turnstile was placed on the outside of the station. All passengers from the B82 buses, the B6’s, B 42 and the B60 just walk onto the L trains.
Bus->Subway is a free transfer and has been since I’ve been alive
Umm…isn’t that already a free transfer? Also, having grown up there, I’m pretty sure it’s spelled “Canarsie”.
Well presuming they paid their bus fare (big presumption, I admit) the transfer to the subway would be free anyway.
If someone is transferring from a bus they would get a free transfer so it doesn’t matter.
The financial consequences of farebeating are enormous.
But unbelievable and beyond depressing that so many people have zero integrity.
There are some stations where nobody pays the fare…….somebody jumps the turnstile and then opens the door and everyone walks in.
You should see the 72nd and Broadway subway station. Endless fare evaders
Stop buying into the crocodile tears of the MTA and the media nonsense.
They did NOT lose money
They lost PROFITS..
What in the world are you talking about…. the MTA is a publicly owned entity, they don’t have profits. Less fare revenue and now no congestion pricing means services get worse
66th Street Lincoln Center Station is a haven for farebeaters—all ages between 12 and middle age and able-bodied, colors, and income. The revolving door and turnstiles are wide open even though a security guard was added. He is just hanging out and looking to get home safely without any confrontation as he allows farebeating to continue by ignoring it. Much, like the bus drivers who won’t put up any resistance.
Installing locking hardware on the doors doesn’t solve the problem. People wait for someone to exit through the door and then enter, holding the door for others. Or one person pays and then opens the door for others. High fare-evasion stations should be outfitted with only revolving gates for both entry and exit. They could reconfigure the entrances to allow for enough additional gates.
I am not surprised. The exit gate at the 110th Street 1 train station wasn’t closing properly for months. I called 311 several times to complain about it & it took forever for them to fix it. The station manager should be fired.
Watched an entire family of well-dressed tourists blow through the Columbus Circle gate w/o paying. I guess this is the new version of, “Let’s act like native NYers!” Infuriating.
It’s not that people feel unsafe entering the station! It’s in fact that people feel stupid and suckered because of the lack of service being done to a system that is far behind ten any other metro system and the fare keeps rising that as tax payers have to keep paying.
There are lots of stations like this. Rockaway Pkwy is wide open. They practically invite people to walk in. You almost have to go out of your way to pay. Even I, who resent turnstyle jumpers would feel stupid paying the fare there. 79th and Bdwy also has a door that’s not locked. Anyway, even if they were locked there’s nothing or no one to prevent people from jumping over or squeezing through.
Why bust a good thing? $3 is, frankly, too much per ride. If it was $2 then less people would evade the toll. Also, I have seen these hired “security guards” literally do nothing as groups of people just jumped the turnstile right on front of them.
And no one pays at 125th St. OK maybe one out of ten people.
Public transportation should be hugely federally subsidized.
MTA = total incompetence. Will the security guards help? They stationed two of them at the 59th Street No. i uptown entrance recently and every time I take that train, I see this pair staring at their phones. Also, they look look like they couldn’t fend off anyone who confronted them. Its a joke. I love the Paris subway where police–fit, well-trained, and efficient–ask to see your ticket.
I am so happy congestion pricing was nixed. Not because it is a bad idea, but because there is so much waste, corruption and incompetence in the spending and management of our tax dollars by the MTA; there is no way they deserve anything more to mismanage.
I have watched as numerous people evade paying the fare while groups of police officers sit idly by, looking at their phones, ignoring the fare dodgers. It’s hopeless. Particular stations are the 70th St entrance to the B/C train, N,R,Q,D trains at Coney Island; Cathedral Pkwy/110 St. C/B train entrance; 59th st. Columbus Circle, and too many others to name.
That’s been the case since they “completed” work at the 79th station uptown, as well. Open door — those in the know (and unhampered by conscience) use it.
Years ago, fare beating was rare, because you could be and people were arrested and spent about 24 hours in the system, but politicians like Alvin Bragg decided that it was horrible that people went through the system for $2.90 and it is harsh but it worked. So more and more people stopped paying and who can blame them? It’s human nature, if the cost of a metro card is a lot of money to you and you see you are one of the few people paying, a lot of otherwise law abiding people stop paying. This have cost the taxpayers BILLIONS. Further, only a NY politician would think to fix the problem of people who ride the subway without paying by charging people who DON’T ride the subway to make up the difference, and call it congestion pricing.
Totally agree—human nature—when paying customers see others not paying on this scale they say to themselves why am I paying? Goes for shoplifting too—when ppl are stealing up to a certain amount with no consequences why should I not join in?—of course it’s wrong but society is saying it’s ok—not so long ago all this stuff was under control before DeBlasio and the sooner the pendulum swings back to that the better
of course, someone tried to blame this on Alvin Bragg. Apparently anything you don’t like in thsi city can be attributed to Alvin Bragg.
I love the guy and he’ll win re-election in a landslide, so i must not be the only one who thinks he’s doing something right.
What makes you love this guy so much Bruce? From the nature of the comments here the transit system is obviously more chaotic and lawless and he is partially responsible for it
MTA head Janno Lieber”s salary was over $400,000, which I believe is more than the President’s but with fewer deliverables and he’s not elected by the people. When we hear these continued stories of losses, breakdowns and inefficiencies, he should be held accountable and fired. I’m sure he will hold others accountable but he should hold himself to the fire and resign. For that kind of payout, we should be able to find someone who can do a better job.
Fair evasion stoppage would bring in as much money as congestion pricing.
How about minding your business?
This is a crisis city-wide, and has been going on (en masse) since the start of the pandemic with no end in sight, and has only escalated. Its a breakdown of any sort of moral order. Even in cases where NYPD are in-station, fare evaders are brazen and don’t even attempt to hide the fact that they walk trough, over and under, and then are too happy to open the doors for others to do the same – entire masses of people pouring through without ever paying. And its not just one type of person that can be identified – its across races, genders, ages, socio-economic…and totally depressing to witness over and over again. I’ve personally spoken out when I couldn’t take it (I know that is stupid), and have felt I had put my life on the line at times, by having to speak out. The fare beating on the buses are even worse, if that is possible. This does not bode well for our city, and for all of us who pay taxes to support things like transit and the police and all the rest.
MTA doesn’t deserve more revenue. They “upgraded” the A with video ads and fewer seats, neither of which improved the ride for paying customers. Most if the ads are for NYC and NYS so presumably advertisers weren’t impressed either.
Eric posts; “Why should I bother to pay my fare? There is no incentive.”
My reply: Why do you need an incentive to follow the law, to do the right thing? Just because other people commit a crime, does that make it ok for others to do so??
Maybe public transportation should actually be public–public access for free. Someone savvier than I can suggest how this will be financed but surely there are viable options. Congestion pricing is one. An X% increase in NYC income taxes. An X% tax on corporations. An X% hotel tax; if it’s touristic, tax it. An X% “sin tax” on booze and cigarettes and now marijuana and marijuana derivates. Include public transport in lottery profits. A bake sale in Times Square. LOL.
I’ve used the MTA over 50 years now. And I can honestly say this is the worst I’ve seen. The 70’s and 80’s were bad , but this is something else. The lack of leadership has led to low morale throughout the system. I’ve watched police ignore fare evaders,
and the so-called security holds doors open for them. You can look in the faces of MTA employees and see they’ve just given up.
Suggestion lower the fare. This may increase ridership, And aggressively go after fare evaders. If this is allowed to continue, you’re going to create a culture of people who feel they should not have to pay. And nothing good will come of that. Improvement starts at the top.
Turnstile jumping is illegal, right? Where is Alvin “no one is above the law” Bragg?
The ones on 79th St. and Broadway are the same. Been like that for the last four months!! Employees from local businesses, despite their race and financial means, get a free ride to work or home. Millions in revenue lost!!! But the MTA was congestion pricing?? These upgrades along the upper website side have been poorly managed by MTA.
Contractor made survey marks on the wall and have yet to be removed.
I saw a comment indicating gate access rather than turnstiles is needed because ppl in wheelchairs and strollers and suitcases.. Agree…so the gates going into station should then have card/swipe functionality to get in.
I was just leaving the 66th Street downtown platform that exits at 65th Street. A young man jumped the turnstile and the guard was standing right there and did nothing. When I complained to the guard, he said he can’t approach anyone jumping the turnstile; he is there for people entering through the gate. I am so angry about this. How about doing something about the turnstile jumpers!!
This was a problem well before the renovations. I saw many instances of fare jumping at 86th St. At one point, an enterprising man was collecting tips for holding the gate open for fare evaders. Fare evasion is theft. No two ways about it.
Bus drivers should refuse to drive when these people board for free.
Another option – I’ve been on buses when the driver’s announcement says the authorities have been called and add because people did not pay!
There should be a notice posted so that people are not surprised when this happens.
At 1:45p 7/12, 3 MTA personnel in orange vests stood around the gate smirking as they watched 5 kids jump the turnstiles. I just don’t get it.
The MTA will not survive if only a select few law abiding riders pay the fare
Come to 86 B and C train entrance on 89. Gate either unlocked or people reach around and open it. In fact anywhere where there is no station booth
Meanwhile while everyone is simply aghast and . mortified by fare jumping on any given day, I bet there was at least one mugging, or rape, or just any kind of assault taking place in the same vicinity. Let’s prioritize what’s actually important people. People skipping fares ain’t it. And before anyone insinuates, I pay the fare on every bus and train I get on. I just don’t see how this is looked at like more of a priority then serious crimes that take place in the same stations on a daily basis.
Mike M,
I am a lifelong New Yorker and bus and subway rider.
I think it is essential that people pay the fare.
And I think it is a huge issue that it in recent years it has become common for so many people to not pay the fare.
It is a real problem when people have complete disregard for responsibility and honesty
I was just at 34th going uptown on the 1.
Although this isn’t even the worst station, within 3 minutes counted 15 people who did not pay, including several who banged on the gate in the hopes someone would open for them.
A person waiting on the platform politely told two older women they should pay the fare….. the women cursed in response.
Not even a pretense at being sorry.
Just entitlement to do anything
I am astonished by how many people, some well-dressed, get on the back doors of the M104 and M5 without paying.
The MTA management should all be relieved of their positions as it four years ago . They’ve let this farebeating situation reach epidemic proportions and it’s outrageous. In fact, the booth agents have also had a job for four years without doing much of anything. Afraid of contamination as it was suggested early in Covid ? This is beyond shameful. PARIS has a great system. You must have a ticket to ride and a ticket to exit or you don’t get out of the station. The worst is New York State has given them billions and billions of dollars which they have consistently misspent. They wail about lost income, but they are the reason the money it is lost. Either everybody should ride for free or stop EVERYONE who fails to pay.. The technology is there. It’s been in place for a long, long time. they’re just not implementing anything intelligent & created a “free-for-all.” Pretty strong measures would have to be enlisted to get hundreds of thousands of people to pay again after all this time!!!! Peace.
I worked for the subway for 32 years and just retired and we installed those ridiculous gates after 911 for quick escape routes God forbid. We all knew they were a joke and people would just use not pay there fair but you know the deal when the government gives you money to do things and if you don’t use the money your budget gets cut and a supervisor we had a feeling that they would walk through but just claim a loss and get more money. The system has been broken for ever. That’s why they say ATM or acronym M money T throw A away poor taxpayers