Scofflaws killing MTA’s finances?
NYC Transit boss says yes; DA says no
Blaming the MTA’s money woes on fare-beating is unfair, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said Wednesday, after the agency’s mass transit chief said suggested scofflaws are pounding its finances.
NYC Transit President Andy Byford — speaking on WNYC’s “Brian Lehrer Show” — said turnstile jumpers and bus fare evaders are partially responsible for the MTA’s bleak financial picture, along with competition from Uber and for-hire car services and sagging real estate revenue.
“That has had an impact,” Byford (photo) said, about the decision from Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. to stop prosecuting fare-beating unless there’s a public safety reason.
That prompted a DA spokesman to fire back by reminding Byford all the blame for poor revenues should be pinned on its equally poor subway service.
Police officers can still give summonses to fare beaters and enforce the rules, Frost also noted.
“The MTA is running out of people to blame for its monumental failures,” Frost said. “If Mr. Byford wishes to continue (former) Chairman (Joe) Lhota’s shameful legacy of scapegoating lowincome New Yorkers and criminal justice advocates for the disaster that has unfolded under their leadership, he should provide evidence.”
Ridership has plunged, with 191,000 fewer subway trips taken on weekdays this September, compared to the same month the previous year. Weekend ridership is down 3.6% with 208,000 fewer trips on average.
“If Mr. Byford thinks New Yorkers are gullible enough to believe that 200,000 people per day are newly jumping turnstiles, then, well, we wish him the best for his tenure,” Frost said. “Transit experts uniformly agree that the MTA’s own performance has driven this decline in ridership. Mr. Byford should fix the subway.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has recently started putting up posters at turnstiles and station gates warning would-be fare beaters of the consequences of skipping out on a swipe. Local bus riders will also see more of the MTA’s Eagle Team, its team of fare inspectors that check tickets on Select Bus routes, where riders pay on street-side machines.
“We’re not being passive to this,” Byford said.
MTA spokesman Shams Tarek defended Byford’s remarks, claiming that fare beating is on the rise.
“It’s curious that the Manhattan DA’s office is feeling so defensive about this,” Tarek said.“Fare evasion is a significant source of revenue loss for the MTA, and has spiked in the last four to five quarters.”
The public will learn more about fare-beating’s impact on MTA finances when Byford presents data to its board next month.
Also on WNYC Wednesday, Byford said that riders should be spared a “doublewhammy” of large fare hikes and deep service cuts.