Update:
On Friday, MTS spokesman Hector Zermeño told NBC 7 that the agency expects 100% of any ticket revenue collected to go into the MTS operations budget. He added that while no code-compliance officers were expected to be hired in connection with the change in ticketing policy, the MTS "has been recruiting more security officers over the past year as a result of a board decision, and the agency is close to reaching that hiring goal."
Zermeño also said the MTS expects to spend the next three months "educating riders" about the change in rules and "evaluating the citation procedures for when the changes take effect." — Ed.
Early next year, riders on Metropolitan Transit System transit caught without a valid fare will be issued a citation then and there, according to changes the MTS board approved Thursday.
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That differs from the current system, where MTS Security officers can offer someone caught without a valid fare the chance to buy a fare or validate one. The change — which is system-wide but will nearly entirely impact trolley riders — will go into effect Feb. 1, 2025.
Between May 2022 and July 2024, an analysis of MTS' fare collection estimated the agency lost between $17 million and $23 million in fare revenue due to evasion. This total comes from an estimated 57,000 monthly riders not paying fares unless expressly checked by MTS officers.
According to MTS, riders in violation will be issued a fine as low as $25 if cleared through the transit agency's diversion program -- or up to $192 fine or more in traffic court if not cleared within 120 days.
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"Riders with no previous citations will have the opportunity to have their first citation dismissed when they appeal through the Diversion Program," a statement from MTS read. "Riders also have the ability to appeal the citation directly to MTS in other select cases."
Thursday's board action comes as MTS is trying to modernize the payment process to allow for online and phone payments, supplementing by-mail checks or paying in person at the MTS Transit Store.
