MTA to require proof of payment on buses
According to NYC Transit officials, bus riders who use their phones, credit cards, or OMNY Cards to pay the fare are now expected to show civilian agents, or EAGLES teams, proof that they are not evading the fare.
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The MTA says that anyone riding on city buses should be prepared to provide proof of payment.
According to NYC Transit officials, bus riders who use their phones, credit cards, or OMNY Cards to pay the fare are now expected to show civilian agents, or EAGLES teams, proof that they are not evading the fare.
With a handheld mobile device, those agents will scan for verification. Those who don’t pay the fare could be fined up to $100.
“Fighting back on fare evasion is hard,” said NYC Transit president Demtrius Chrichlow. “It requires a cultural shift where people now desire or choose to pay, and these folks are at the forefront of it.”
The system has already been in place on select bus service routes, but now local bus riders can expect the same check-in.
Commuters in East Flatbush who are already familiar with the system say it can often be an inconvenience, especially during the morning rush.
“In the morning, you have at least about like eight or 10 MTA enforcers coming onto the buses,” said one bus rider, “and actually slowing down the commuters. We are trying to get to work on time. It’s excessive.”
