One arrest has already been made in Virginia as a result of an effort to combat Metro fare evasion.
Starting on Tuesday, the Metro Transit Police (MTPD) will start issuing tickets for fare evasion. Last month, Metro ran a campaign to inform people about fare enforcement and warn them about it.
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Anyone who jumps the fare gates, uses the emergency gates incorrectly, or does not hit the fare box on a Metrobus will get a citation.
Metro Transit Police (MTPD) Report
According to the MTPD, as of 1:00 p.m. on the first day of fare evasion enforcement, four citations had been issued and one individual had been taken into custody.
The officers allegedly saw a number of individuals enter the station before turning back once they saw them checking to make sure everyone had their fee paid.
WMATA Report
For WMATA, fare evasion results in a huge revenue loss. According to the agency, it lost $40 million in 2022, or 22% of the overall projected budget shortfall.
According to WMATA’s statement, “Metro predicts revenue losses due to fare evasion totaling tens of millions of dollars in fiscal year 2022 using statistics from Metrobus and pre-pandemic industry norms for Metrorail.”
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Those who fail to pay their fares may be subject to penalties for fare evasion in each jurisdiction. The WMATA website lists $50 in fines in D.C. and up to $100 in Virginia and Maryland as potential penalties.
