Metro says it will begin enforcing penalties for fare evasion Tuesday, meaning anyone who doesn’t pay for their ride could be fined.
Metro Transit Police Department officers will issue tickets to anyone who jumps fare gates, improperly goes through an emergency exit or doesn’t pay on Metrobuses, Metro says.
It's part of an effort to close a shortfall of nearly $185 million in Metro's upcoming budget. Metro estimates it lost $40 million due to fair evasion in the 2022 fiscal year. The News4 I-Team found the X2 line reported more than 914,000 reported fare evaders in 2021.
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Since the District decriminalized fare evasion in 2018, fines for evasion in D.C. are $50. In Maryland and Virginia, the fines are up to $100, and evasion is considered a criminal offense.
Metro says the campaign is starting now because there previously wasn’t a legal mechanism for transit police to issue tickets in D.C. But the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and local leaders have worked out an adjudication process.
Only transit police officers, not station managers or bus drivers, will be permitted to issue citations, Metro says.
Metro says it’s looking into other ways to ensure all riders pay, including modifying gates.
The transit agency also says it’s working to offer resources to low-income people. If you need financial assistance on Metro, call 202-637-7000.
Here’s more information on the program and how to get a SmarTrip card.
