The MTA is trying to fix the subway turnstiles over the next two years to stop fare jumpers from slipping past the gates and costing the transit agency more than $45 million a year.
The fare beating technique, known as “back cocking,” happens when the gate is pulled back on a turnstile just far enough to slip through.
So far, only 26 turnstiles have been fixed but aiming to complete 240 by September.
But, the Demetrius Crichlow, the MTA official in charge of the day-to-day operations of the subway system, said it could take up to two years to update the remaining 3,500 turnstiles across the rest of the system — at a cost of roughly $2 million.
“If we can even get a portion of that back, it’ll save the company a lot of money,” Crichlow said.
Additionally, they are also considering installing plastic sleeves on the turnstile bars and metal fins on the sides of the fare gate stalls to make it harder for riders to lumber over.
The MTA is fixing the turnstiles in the subway stations to stop people from slipping past the gates. Christopher Sadowski
The MTA plans to fix another 240 turnstiles by September and eventually the remaining 3,500 turnstiles. Levine-Roberts/Sipa USA
Another solution they are considering is adding plastic sleeves and metal fins to make it harder to get over. James Messerschmidt for NY Post
Plans for a wider rethink of fare gates on the subway system are also underway, officials said Monday, with additional details set to be released later this year.
The MTA demonstrated several models of fare gates that it is eying to potentially replace its decades-old setup rolled out with the MetroCard that are harder to jump over and which have been used by transit systems across the country and in major cities internationally to cut down on fare beating.
The new high-tech systems also typically have the ability to open the gates automatically in the midst of an emergency, which MTA officials hope will allow the new designs to permanently do away with the emergency doors they’ve described as the “super highways” of fare evasion.
Philadelphia’s transit system just ordered one of the models the MTA is examining for two stations on its elevated rail line as it seeks to cut down on fare evasion, too.