Nearly 70% of Metrobus riders are not paying, transit officials say. Starting next week, the agency plans to crack down on fare evaders.
Metro leaders at said the transit system will ramp up enforcement and outreach following the Memorial Day holiday weekend, including adding more Metro Transit Police across the system to get more riders to pay their fare. The plan also includes having bus operators remind riders of the fare as they board, a shift from a long-standing policy where drivers were not expected to engage over payment.
鈥淔are nonpayment is completely unacceptable. It is costing us tens of millions of dollars,鈥� Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said.
Clarke said fare evasion is costing the transit agency about $50 million a year and that Metro will increase both enforcement and education efforts aimed at changing rider behavior.
One part of that effort is having bus operators say the fare out loud to riders.
鈥淭hey are in a secure compartment that we’ve spent millions of dollars on, and they’re quoting the fare. They are not supposed to engage someone after that. The safety of our staff is paramount,鈥� Clarke said.
He said operators will not enforce fares and that responsibility will remain with Metro Transit Police, who will have a larger presence as part of the crackdown.
鈥淭here’s nobody that is a bus operator doing fare enforcement. They’re doing fare awareness.鈥� Clarke said.
He said the issue goes beyond enforcement, pointing to inconsistent fare policies across the region, where some transit systems offer free rides while Metro does not.
But Metro鈥檚 largest union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, is pushing back on involving operators at all.
鈥淪imply by saying, ‘sir, ma’am, whomever, the fare is $2.25 to get on,’ that puts that bus operator at risk,鈥� union spokesman Benjamin Lynn said.
Lynn said operators are already reacting strongly to the change.
鈥淏us operators and our members are pretty irate, pretty upset,鈥� Lynn said.
He said the policy reverses years of safety measures designed to reduce operator assaults by keeping them out of arguments related to fares.
鈥淲e’ve had things where they’ve been attacked or just punched in the face for simply letting people know that the fare is $1.50, $2.00,鈥� Lynn said.
operators have been hurt over fare disputes even with protective barriers in place and is calling on Metro to leave fare enforcement solely to transit police and focus on other solutions instead.
For riders, the change means seeing more officers on buses and hearing operators remind passengers about the fare again.
Metro said the goal is to recover millions in lost revenue and get riders back to paying, while the union argues the approach could increase risks for workers.
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