Full Breakdown
New Saloon-Style Fare Gates Slash NYC Subway Fare Evasion
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In a pilot that began last year, the MTA installed modern, saloon-style fare gates at 20 subway stations across the five boroughs. The agency reports an average 35 % reduction in fare evasion at those stations, with the steepest declines—72 %—at Hoyt Street (2/3 lines) and Nostrand Avenue (A/C lines). Governor Kathy Hochul and transit officials announced a rollout to an additional 20 stations this year, aiming eventually to modernize all 472 stations.
Background & Context
Fare evasion has strained the MTA’s budget, especially after pandemic-related ridership shifts. Earlier deterrents included serrated fins on turnstiles and unarmed security guards, but emergency-exit gates accounted for more than half of unpaid entries. The new gates use sensors, cameras and machine-learning detection to close after a rider passes, targeting the “superhighway of fare evasion” described by MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.
Data & Statistics
- Pilot stations recorded roughly 29 million entries and 34 million exits, with 40–50 % of daily riders using the gates at least once.
- Comparison with the last full month of turnstile data shows a 35 % average drop in fare evasion.
- At Hoyt Street and Nostrand Avenue evasion fell 72 %; at 3rd Avenue-138th Street it fell 65 %.
- The governor’s office cites more than 63 million total passages through the new gates.
- The 2025-2029 Capital Plan earmarks $1.1 billion for fare-control upgrades, with projected taxpayer savings of nearly $100 million annually once the full rollout is complete.
Official Statements & Responses
MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber called the pilot’s results “pretty impressive” and affirmed the commitment to expand to 150 stations. NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow called the project a “generational investment” that improves accessibility, flow and revenue security. Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said the modernization is a key step toward a better daily rider experience and that design customization during the pilot will inform the next phase. Early station-preparation work for the next 20 sites will begin this month, with installations slated for completion by the end of 2026.
On-the-Ground Reports
Riders expressed mixed reactions. Some praised the gates for eliminating easy shortcuts; others noted that brief openings after a tap could still allow a second passenger to slip through.
Verbatim Quotes
- “MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The early returns on the new fare gate pilot are pretty impressive – an average 35 percent reduction in fare evasion at these stations.” — Janno Lieber
- “ NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “This is a generational investment in the way customers navigate through the subway system.” — Demetrius Crichlow
- “ MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, "Modernizing our fare arrays is one of the most important steps we can take to improve the daily experience for our riders.” — Jamie Torres-Springer
- “The data is clear: these new fare gates have created a better riding experience for customers and made it harder for would-be fare evaders to enter the system without paying,” — Gov. Kathy Hochul
- “But even people who can afford to pay, they would just slip in. So I think this is great.” — Rider Keith Nicholas
What’s Next
The MTA will begin installing the new gates at the announced 20 stations—spanning Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens—by the end of 2026. A second phase covering 30 additional stations is scheduled for construction by the end of next year, followed by a broader rollout targeting 150 stations in the coming years. The agency will continue evaluating gate performance on fare-evasion reduction, accessibility and maintenance before extending the technology system-wide.