The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is cracking down on would-be free riders who try to use the T without paying their fares.
More uniformed officers will be on watch for fare evaders on the subway system, and there will be an increase in plain-clothes officers standing near the gates, according to MBTA Chief of Police Paul MacMillan.
"Our goal is to do selective enforcement and obtain voluntary compliance," MacMillan told the Daily. "We do it on different days and different locations. We realize we can't be at every gate all the time, but we can be at any gate at any time."
Fare evasion most often occurs when individuals follow other riders through the turnstiles, MacMillan said. Others may attempt to run through an open gate or use reduced fare passes for which they are not eligible.
While fare evasion is not limited to certain stations, there are some locations that will be receiving more attention.
"We try to have a strong uniform presence, especially in places with a problem," Robert Lenehan, Lieutenant Commander at MBTA Transit Police Service Area 2, told the Daily. Area 2 contains all Red Line stops from Alewife to Kendall, including Davis Square.
"While Davis is not high on our list, problem stations in the area include Kendall and Central," Lenehan said. "There are more entrances there than at Davis, and some have unattended areas. We try to rely on the honor system, but it doesn't always happen, which is why we put police officers there."
MacMillan said that the Green Line — an easy target for fare evaders on its trolley cars — will also feature a personnel increase.
"They have to open the rear doors, and there's no fare box, so people can just get on without tapping their CharlieCards," MacMillan said.
The MBTA plans to impose harsher consequences for fare evasion at some point in the future.
"We are planning on increasing the fine, shortening the time period people have to pay the fine and continuing to not allow their licenses to be renewed," MacMillan said.
Fines currently stand at $15 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense and $250 for additional offenses.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles prohibits fare evaders from renewing their driver's license if the fine has not been paid within 90 days of its issuance, according to the MBTA's website.
MacMillan described the increase in vigilance as a continuation of the MBTA's ongoing efforts to enforce fare payment.
"We have been addressing it for years now through our fare evasion program," MacMillan said. "The fact that it got publicized recently is just an indication that we've been doing it for a while but the media finally called."
A law enacted in January 2007 enabled the MBTA to issue citations for fare evasion for the first time, the Boston Globe reported that year. Prior to this, MBTA police could previously charge fare evaders with disorderly conduct if they resisted an officer's request to pay the fare, according to the Globe.
All additional personnel are existing members of the MBTA Transit Police, MacMillan said. He praised the cooperation between all departments of the MBTA in working together to fight fare evaders.
The MBTA will keep close watch over the commuter rail as well, as it lacks an automated system and is susceptible to counterfeit passes and expired tickets, Lenehan said. Fare evasion is not widespread on MBTA buses, he said.
Lenehan warned against the negative consequences of fare evasion.
"The average person thinks they don't have to pay the fare because it's too low, but people forget that if they don't pay, everyone else will start paying for it," he said. "None of us enjoy writing tickets, but it's a real crime. It actually does have an impact; we have to make up the shortcomings."
