Press Release  IG Shapiro: Fare Evasion is Only Part of the Revenue Problem

Boston, MA — Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro commended MBTA GM Philip Eng in a letter sent today for the newly launched crack down on fare evaders through the issuance of warnings and citations while reminding him to prioritize more effective fare collection on all modes across the entire system.

“I want to remind the MBTA’s leadership that there is a difference between someone who actively avoids paying the fare and a system that makes it easy to ride without paying,” IG Shapiro said. “The MBTA’s focus on fare evasion, must not detract from efforts to actively collect fares on both the commuter rail and the subway system every day.”

IG Shapiro noted that since 2022, after the MBTA’s Board of Directors adopted new fare enforcement policies, the MBTA has not issued a single warning or non-criminal citation. Further, the MBTA hired fare engagement representatives in October 2024 and currently has a team of 19 people whose collective salaries total around $2 million annually.

“Given the time and money already invested by the MBTA on fare enforcement, I urge the MBTA to fully commit to holding riders accountable by issuing warnings and citations for not paying fares,” IG Shapiro said. “I stress the importance of the MBTA prioritizing fare collection at the street-level stations where fare collection is the weakest and to hold its commuter rail operator to the contractual terms for fare collection.”

IG Shapiro noted that as part of the Office of the Inspector General’s ongoing fare collection observations, the team observed between 79% and 100 % of morning commuters on the Green Line’s C and D branches did not pay a fare. “The MBTA has a fiduciary responsibility to collect fares.  I am concerned that so many riders can board a street-level trolley through the back door and with no one monitoring if they tap the automated fare collection device.”

“While fare revenue will not solve the MBTA’s financial challenges, a demonstrated effort to both collect and enforce fares on all modes and routes will provide the public with a greater level of assurance as to how the MBTA treats public dollars.”

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