Overview
- Clips on TikTok and Instagram depict riders slipping through, vaulting over, and prying open the new gates, with some posts drawing millions of views.
- A late‑night “Fare Evasion Olympics” at Manhattan’s Broadway–Lafayette station, organized by Danny Fisher, awarded a $3 prize after competitors cleared the barriers.
- Brooklyn creator @officialkiingspiider posted multiple stunts, including a blindfolded pass through the gate, while criticizing the spending and urging attention to safety and service.
- The MTA says the barriers are part of a free pilot using three designs installed at 20 stations, with one design expected to expand to roughly 150 stations as part of a $1.1 billion program.
- A Citizens Budget Commission report estimates fare and toll evasion cost about $1 billion in 2024, and reporters say some station staff reportedly watched evasions without intervening.