NOHO, Manhattan (WABC) — The MTA has unveiled its latest attempt to crack down on subway fare beaters, which includes a brand new design.
We’ve all seen people jumping over the turnstiles to avoid paying, but it’s soon going to be more difficult for fare beaters to do that.
The MTA has installed smart fare gates at the Broadway Lafayette station. They are also installed at the Third Avenue and 138th Street station right now.
Once you scan payment, the gates will open to let a rider through. If someone tries to get through without paying, the gates will not open and you’ll hear a loud beeping sound indicating that you’re not allowed through and you haven’t paid.
The new installed fare gates are replacing the traditional turnstiles.
The MTA is doing this to try and stop fare beaters from hopping over turnstiles or walking through the emergency exit doors.
These gates have special sensors and work with AI technology to detect objects and people.
According to one report, last year, people fare-evaded more than 300 times every single minute in New York City.
Fare evasion this year has gone down, according to MTA officials, but this fare gate pilot program will help even more.
More than a billion dollars has been allocated to help install these gates, and they were also installed for accessibility reasons so people in wheelchairs or parents with strollers can get through easier.
In the coming days, the gates will be rolled out to 20 stations, but eventually they will be at 150 stations.
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