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Is a Metrobus fare evasion crackdown coming?
Metro is considering a tougher approach to tackle a growing issue: fare evasion on its buses. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald has the story.
Metro is considering a tougher approach to tackle a growing issue: fare evasion on its buses.
Nearly 70% of Metro bus riders do not pay their fare, WMATA data shows, leaving the 30% who do to shoulder the financial burden.
Metro officials say this situation is not only unfair but financially unsustainable.
A Metrobus operator drives in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2018. - As the US capital traded stifling summer heat for cool autumn breezes, signs began appearing on lamp posts, asking Washington commuters: what do you think about buses going cash-fre …
Metro relies on a combination of local government funding and fare revenue to keep the system running. But with so many riders skipping out on fares, it’s creating a significant budget shortfall.
For years, Metro has struggled to stabilize its finances, and this issue is only making things worse.
Many Metro bus riders told FOX 5 that it’s frustrating to see a majority of passengers not paying, while a few are left following the rules.
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On Thursday, the Metro board will discuss a new funding plan that could offer local governments incentives to enforce bus fare payment. The plan proposes that jurisdictions showing results in reducing fare evasion would benefit from lower Metro costs.
Professor Patrick Gourley from the University of New Haven explained that the problem worsened after agencies like Metro briefly went fare-free during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It’s incredibly difficult. This is just classic price theory. Nobody likes it when prices go up, but when something goes from zero to not zero, people really don’t like it," Gourley said.
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While Metro has made progress in curbing fare evasion on the rail system by installing new fare gates, enforcing payment on buses remains challenging.
In Washington, D.C., fare evaders can receive a civil citation and face criminal penalties if fines are not paid. In Maryland and Virginia, fare evasion is still considered a crime, leaving Metro Police with the responsibility to enforce fare compliance.