Ending the free ride for TTC cheats

Next time you are riding the streetcar, look around. One in three of your fellow riders is riding for free.

No, it’s not some frequent rider promotion or Red Rocket giveaway. They just decided not to pay the fare. So what, you might think? Well, those lost fares — $3.30 a ride when you tap with Presto or a credit card — add up.

A new report estimates the transit agency is losing some $140.9 million a year through outright fare evasion or partial payment of fares, revenue the TTC — and ultimately, the cash-strapped city which pays its bills — can ill-afford to forgo. “Losing that kind of money is not sustainable,” TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said.

There is the broader question whether transit should be free, for all sorts of social and environmental benefits. But given that the fare box raises some $1 billion a year for the TTC’s day-to-day operations, for now fares must be paid.

During COVID, with ridership down dramatically, the TTC paused its fare enforcement efforts. Now with ridership bouncing back, more than a few passengers have apparently gotten used to riding for free with no consequences. When the TTC last examined fare evasion in 2019, the overall evasion rate was 5.7 per cent. Today, it’s estimated at 11.9 per cent.

Last year, the TTC’s approach was that ticketing was the last resort. Instead, its “taps over tickets” strategy allowed people to pay the fare after they’ve been inspected. Inspectors won’t be as forgiving this year as the TTC vows more aggressive enforcement.

Still, in the early days of its campaign, we’d urge some restraint while the TTC makes clear to riders that its easygoing approach of past years is no more. The transit agency is trying a little moral suasion with a “fare is fair” ad campaign, telling riders that tapping helps improve service for all. That advertising also needs to send the message that the enforcement-free days are over.

A more visible staff presence would help with deterrence. The TTC has hired 130 customer service agents and has 120 fare inspectors. It’s no mystery where the inspectors should be directing their efforts. Fare evasion is highest on streetcars at 29.6 per cent, followed by bus routes at 12.9 per cent. Between the two modes, the TTC is missing out on more than $100 million in lost fare revenue, usually when riders board through rear doors and don’t tap their payment cards. Get these inspectors riding the streetcars to make riders think twice about ducking a fare payment.

How TTC enforces its fares matters. Enforcement efforts in the past were rightly condemned for disproportionately targeting Black and Indigenous residents, who, according to research, were significantly more likely than white riders to be formally cautioned or charged by TTC officers. As the TTC looks to ramp up its fare enforcement, it must ensure those efforts are done fairly. The TTC board must provide vigorous oversight. Discretion is vital. There will be, for example, be those riders who can’t afford to pay. Officers must be able to use discretion in such circumstances. There will be other regular riders who perhaps forgot to pay. Inspectors can check their Presto cards to see the pattern of payments. If it’s truly a one-off, a warning is warranted.

But there will be those chronic offenders and cheats — an adult using a child’s pass, for example — who deserve a ticket. The fines are stiff, ranging from $235 to $425. We’ve argued that such fines are out of line for the offence of cheating the fare box. A fine of $50 or $75 would be deterrent enough.

For the sake of the TTC’s bottom line and respect for those commuters who do pay the fares, it’s time to rein in the free riders.

During COVID, with ridership down dramatically, the TTC paused its fare enforcement efforts. Now with ridership bouncing back, more than a few passengers have apparently gotten used to riding for free with no consequences