The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is under fire for its decision to allocate up to $1 million in federal grant money to study fare evasion, a move critics say is an unnecessary expense that provides little new insight into the problem.
The study aims to uncover the motivations behind why people skip paying fares, even as the MTA laments financial struggles and pushes forward with its unpopular congestion pricing plan. Critics argue the research will merely confirm what common sense already suggests about fare dodgers.
“They cry poverty when they’re forcing New Yorkers to pay ridiculous tolls to drive into Manhattan, yet somehow they manage to find enough money to pay for these inane studies,” said City Council Member Joann Ariola (R-Queens).
“Somebody please make it make sense,” she added.
According to a proposal posted on the MTA’s website on December 6, the agency hopes this behavioral research will shed light on the “historically high” rates of fare evasion, which currently cost the transit system around $800 million annually. The study is expected to cost between $500,000 and $1 million, funded by federal grants.
The MTA has already conducted preliminary research into fare evasion, categorizing offenders into six groups: “opportunists,” “rebels,” “idealists,” “youth,” “unintentional,” and “low-income.” Their findings suggest that “rebels,” “idealists,” and the “low-income” demographic are the most common offenders.
The MTA described “rebels” as primarily middle and high school students who evade fares because they think it’s “cool and edgy not to pay.”
“Idealists,” on the other hand, can be individuals of any age who refuse to pay due to their personal beliefs, while those in the “low-income” category simply cannot afford the fare.
The agency made these observations without additional taxpayer expense but has not explained why up to $1 million is needed to delve deeper into these profiles. The timing of the spending, amid claims of a financial shortfall, has prompted harsh criticism from public officials.
The MTA asserts that societal attitudes toward fare evasion have shifted since COVID-19, noting that skipping fares is now “simply not as ‘bad’ as it once was.” They argue that punitive enforcement methods are not effective, but critics say this overlooks the fact that fare evaders are rarely prosecuted due to recent justice reforms.
“Going beyond enforcement to change civic behavior related to transportation gets results,” the MTA claims. They point to examples from other countries, such as Colombia, where mimes stationed at intersections have reportedly reduced traffic fatalities by half. Bolivia has employed “dancing costumed zebras” at crosswalks for traffic control.
The MTA also referenced research from Santiago, Chile, which suggested that campaigns could transform public sentiment by turning “feelings of irritation, outrage, and deceit” into “feelings of appreciation, satisfaction, and fairness.”
Critics were quick to dismiss these claims. “It’s amazing no one in King Lieber’s inner circle pulls him aside and says, ‘Boss, isn’t this…stupid?’” said Councilmember Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island).
Councilmember Robert Holden (D-Queens) called the move another example of wasteful spending. “Wasting taxpayer dollars on ridiculous studies instead of fixing the obvious. The MTA has no business playing armchair psychologist when it can’t even run its system efficiently or maintain a safe and clean environment,” he said.
Ariola also took aim at the MTA’s congestion pricing plan, which is set to begin next year and will charge drivers entering Midtown Manhattan $9, with the fee rising to $12 by 2028. She labeled the study as hypocritical in light of this controversial tolling system.
The MTA did not clarify whether the grant money was earmarked for specific purposes or why it wasn’t redirected to other projects. They defended the study by highlighting the success of unconventional behavioral strategies in other countries, such as the mimes in Colombia and dancing zebras in Bolivia.
It remains unclear whether similar tactics, such as zebras or mimes, will eventually be introduced to New York City.
The study is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at curbing fare evasion, which has surged in recent years. According to MTA data, about 13% of subway riders now skip paying fares, up from 3% in 2018. On Select Bus Service routes, the fare evasion rate has skyrocketed to 55%, with local buses close behind at 48%.
“This needs to change,” said John McCarthy, the MTA’s chief of policy and external relations. “If we are going to hire a behavioral consultant, it will be to help change the behavior of a criminal justice system that has determined that fare evasion should have no consequences.”
In October, the MTA deployed unarmed “enforcers” at bus stops, while police officers continue to patrol the transit system.
Fare evasion summonses issued by the NYPD have increased by 13.5% over the first ten months of this year compared to 2023, reaching 120,883. Arrests for “theft of service” have more than doubled during the same period, rising to 8,792.
{Matzav.com}