Big Fare Hike on NYC Buses Imminent as MTA Cracks Down on Evasion
As New Yorkers prepare for another increase in transportation costs, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair Janno Lieber announced that the agency will intensify its efforts to combat fare evasion on buses once MetroCards are phased out next month. With the introduction of OMNY, a digital tap-to-pay system, Lieber plans to deploy "fare agents" instead of police officers to monitor riders and ensure they pay their fares.
The MTA's select bus service routes, where over half of riders skip paying fares, will be targeted by the new enforcement strategy. The agency has already installed OMNY readers near rear doors, but does not allow riders to use them for payment. Critics argue that this approach is slow and unreliable, as many riders face difficulties with the new payment system.
The decision comes amidst a long-standing battle against fare evasion, which Lieber views as an "existential threat" costing the MTA around $700 million annually. The agency's efforts to combat evasion have been met with limited success in the past, including a failed experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic that made buses free and required riders to board from the rear door.
As Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office on promises to eliminate fares on MTA buses, Lieber remains skeptical. He believes that requiring all riders to use OMNY makes it easier for authorities to track payments, but some advocates argue that this approach will only exacerbate the issue and slow down bus services further.
The MTA's previous plan to retire MetroCards was pushed back by over two years due to technical issues with the new payment system. Riders have reported problems with the OMNY system, including failure to accept cards and repeated charges for rides not taken. Despite these setbacks, Lieber remains committed to his strategy, which he believes will bring a much-needed crackdown on fare evasion and shore up the MTA's finances.
As New Yorkers prepare for another increase in transportation costs, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair Janno Lieber announced that the agency will intensify its efforts to combat fare evasion on buses once MetroCards are phased out next month. With the introduction of OMNY, a digital tap-to-pay system, Lieber plans to deploy "fare agents" instead of police officers to monitor riders and ensure they pay their fares.
The MTA's select bus service routes, where over half of riders skip paying fares, will be targeted by the new enforcement strategy. The agency has already installed OMNY readers near rear doors, but does not allow riders to use them for payment. Critics argue that this approach is slow and unreliable, as many riders face difficulties with the new payment system.
The decision comes amidst a long-standing battle against fare evasion, which Lieber views as an "existential threat" costing the MTA around $700 million annually. The agency's efforts to combat evasion have been met with limited success in the past, including a failed experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic that made buses free and required riders to board from the rear door.
As Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office on promises to eliminate fares on MTA buses, Lieber remains skeptical. He believes that requiring all riders to use OMNY makes it easier for authorities to track payments, but some advocates argue that this approach will only exacerbate the issue and slow down bus services further.
The MTA's previous plan to retire MetroCards was pushed back by over two years due to technical issues with the new payment system. Riders have reported problems with the OMNY system, including failure to accept cards and repeated charges for rides not taken. Despite these setbacks, Lieber remains committed to his strategy, which he believes will bring a much-needed crackdown on fare evasion and shore up the MTA's finances.
! Like, I get it, they need the money, but do they have to make life harder for us? The new fare agents thing sounds like a total hassle, I mean who wants some random person following them around the bus trying to tap their card every time they move? And don't even get me started on the OMNY system, it's literally broken half the time 
. Just can't believe they're not taking the time to iron out those kinks before implementing it. It's like they want us to be late for work or something because we have to deal with all that drama 
... Like, I get it, MTA needs to cover costs, but this OMNY system is already causing headaches 
. Not everyone has the fancy digital wallet or credit card that can tap in and out easily. What about those who just wanna pay cash? It's not like they're trying to cheat the system... I'm all for cracking down on fare evasion, but this whole "fare agents" thing sounds like a recipe for chaos 
, but can't we find other ways to cut costs without screwing over regular riders?
It seems like OMNY is still super buggy and that's just frustrating for riders who don't wanna be cops on the bus. 
What if they just made it easier to use? Instead of having a separate system, could they just integrate it better so it works seamlessly with existing cards and payment methods? 
it's gonna be super slow & invasive for riders, who really needs more hassle? i mean, can't they just make omny work properly first? and what's up with the select bus service routes being targeted? isn't that a recipe for disaster?
i mean have you guys ever had that new type of vegan cheese? it's like nothing i've ever tasted before...anyway, back to NYC buses 
...i feel bad for the people being fined for not paying but at the same time i get why the MTA needs to crack down on fare evasion 
. Fare agents? Are they kidding me? 
Like, who thought that was a good idea? And now we gotta pay again because the new system is so whack 
I swear, every time they try to "fix" something, it just ends up making it worse 
And what's with all the delays? Like, can't they just get it together already? 
. mayor-elect mamdani's promise to eliminate fares is still on the table and i think that's a way better idea than forcing people to use some clunky payment system that doesn't work yet 
it feels like every time they try to crack down on fare evasion, the system ends up being flawed or too complicated for people to deal with... and then we're back to where we started 
... meanwhile, the MTA is still losing millions every year because of this exact problem 
... can't we just find a better way to deal with it? 
! What if those agents are just tourists with smartphones taking selfies all day 
? And don't even get me started on the OMNY system... have you tried using it? It's like they're testing some kinda weird sci-fi tech 
. Maybe we should just let Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani bring back free buses like during COVID-19, that was a good vibe 
! #MTAprobs #FareEvasion #OMNYfail 