The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York has launched a new initiative to combat fare evasion, a problem that cost the agency approximately $690 million last year. As part of a pilot program, the MTA has introduced new fare gates at the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue station in Queens. These gates are designed with taller paddles, making it more difficult for individuals to jump over or crawl under them.
This new system, which was unveiled on Monday by MTA executive Rich Davey, represents an upgrade from the traditional turnstiles. The taller barriers swing open upon successful tapping in with an OMNY card or swiping a MetroCard, and then close automatically. Designed to accommodate passengers carrying bags or luggage, these gates were first installed at the Sutphin Boulevard stop due to its connection to the JFK AirTrain and the larger Jamaica Station complex.
The 8th Avenue-Penn Station A/C/E lines are next in line to receive these updated gates, with installation scheduled for the following week at a cost of $700,000. Manufactured by Cubic Corporation, the same contractor responsible for the MTA’s OMNY fare payment system, these gates are part of a broader plan to modernize fare collection and access within the subway system.
MTA officials, including Quemuel Arroyo, who oversees the agency’s program to improve access for the disabled, acknowledged that details about the pilot program, including its overall cost and procurement processes, are still forthcoming. This installation follows several months of demonstrations showcasing various fare gate models used in other major transit systems in the US and Europe, featuring either tall paddles or double-leaf plastic barriers.
MTA chairman Janno Lieber has expressed a desire to collaborate with the Fire Department to redesign station layouts, potentially eliminating emergency fare gates often left open, which he refers to as the “superhighway” of fare evasion. However, updates on these negotiations were not available at the time of the announcement.
