Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

MTA Plans Civilian Fare Checks on NYC Buses After OMNY Replaces MetroCard

The agency links the shift to its tap-to-pay rollout to curb hundreds of millions in unpaid bus fares.

MTA fare enforcement agents stood at the front and rear doors of buses on 41 lines Thursday in an effort to enforce fare payment on city buses. (Evan Simko-Bednarski)
Image
MTA Chair Janno Lieber really wants riders to pay their fare, even as a new mayor takes office with the goal of making buses free.
Image

Overview

  • Chair Janno Lieber said the MTA will adopt a European-style system in which unarmed fare agents board buses and verify riders’ OMNY proof of payment after boarding.
  • The change is slated to begin once OMNY fully replaces the MetroCard, with sales and reloads of MetroCards ending December 31, 2025.
  • Initial enforcement will target Select Bus Service routes, which the MTA estimates see fare-skipping by more than half of riders, and cash payments on buses will end in January to ease spot checks.
  • MTA and watchdog figures cite massive losses to evasion, including roughly $568 million in unpaid bus fares last year and agency estimates topping $700 million systemwide annually.
  • The rollout follows years of OMNY delays and reported glitches and arrives as rider advocates press for all-door boarding and the mayor‑elect has proposed fare‑free buses.