We know that the District Attorney will no longer be persecuting turnstile jumpers AND that the MTA will be increasing our fare within the next few years. That combo seems like a recipe for a serious increase in fare evasion throughout the city.
All that being said, we hardly live in a perfect world and although the DA’s office will no longer be persecuting these petty crimes, don’t get the idea that you’ll be able to ride the rails for free. According to a recent report by the Post, “New York City Transit President Andy Byford said executives from his agency’s “head office” will go to various subway stations and bus stops to create body blockades to bar anyone trying to get in without a Metrocard”.
Body blockades! Which will be backed up by police officers. This comes as no shock as just this year alone fare evasion cost the MTA about $215 million, $96 million in the subways and $119 million for the buses according to the NYCT. The Transit Department also plans to have more cameras installed and more police presence assigned to certain stations. It remains unclear what these actions will result in if the DA will no longer be prosecuting the crime.