New York MTA lost $1 billion to fare evasion in 2024, report says

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority lost some $1 billion to fare and bridge toll evasion in 2024, a new report estimates. But it also says moves by the MTA and law enforcement agencies have started to cut into that figure, and could reduce the loss by some $100 million this year, the first decrease in five years.

The report was issued Thursday (Sept. 11, 2025) by the Citizens Budget Commission, which describes itself as a “nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization whose mission is to achieve constructive change in the finances and services of New York City and New York State government.”

Bus fares account for more than half the estimated losses, some $568 million, the group estimates, followed by subways ($350 million), tolls ($51 million), and commuter rail (at least $46 million). The figures are based on reported paid ridership, evasion rates, average fares, and discounts, and are adjusted to account for those who evade but would not have paid any way, such as students with passes or people who would not have used transit.

The CBC says the MTA’s own estimate, often reported as $700 million to $800 million, is lower because it assumes a larger share of those evading fares would not have paid anyway.

MTA Chief Financial Officer Jai Patel said in a statement reported by Spectrum News that the MTA agrees fare evasion is “an existential issue” but said subway fare evasion is down 29% so far this year, including 36% at stations with guards at exit gates, and that evasion rates for buses have dropped quarterly since the second quarter of 2024 despite ridership increases. “We have no plans to let up on this crusade any time soon,” Patel said.

Evasion skyrocketed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report, with the bus and subway loss of $918 million tripling from the 2019 estimate of $305 million. The report says the loss in those two areas equals one quarter of the fares collected in 2024, and means that 330 subway fares and 710 bus fares were evaded every minute of the year.

That rate, the report states, is “beyond what enforcement actions alone can rectify.” It notes that an MTA panel recommended a four-facet approach to the problem:

— Increased enforcement by the New York Police Department and MTA inspectors, including more inspectors on buses;

— Design changes to turnstiles and exit gates to make them harder to defeat, as well as use of unarmed gate guards to ensure exit gates stay closed;

— Education programs including public messaging to emphasize the importance of fare payment, and to inform the public of the increased enforcement efforts;

— Equity efforts including work to increase use of the Fair Fares program, which provides discounts for eligible low-income riders.

The CBC report recommends additional actions including faster rollout of new fare gates included in the MTA’s five-year capital plan, faster rollout of proof-of-payment programs that allow MTA enforcement teams to act without having to directly witness bus fare evasion; and working with the city to assess further deployment of police officers to enforce fare payment.

A summary of the report is available here. The full report can be downloaded here.