An estimated six million New Yorkers rely on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) every day — but too many of them are getting a free ride.

Fare and toll evasion cost the MTA an estimated $1 billion in 2024 [1], whether it’s the subway, a bus, Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North service into Westchester County [2], according to a new report from the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC). And if you think that trend continues, it’s not the fare dodgers who’ll pay the price — it’s everyone else.

Every skipped swipe and unpaid toll chips away at the system’s budget, widening the operating gap and putting more pressure on residents, commuters and business owners to pay the price.

According to the CBC, the MTA lost money in 2024 through:

  • $568 million in unpaid bus fares

  • $350 million in unpaid subway fares

  • $46 million or more in unpaid commuter rail tickets

  • $51 million or more in unpaid tolls

It’s not as though the MTA isn’t trying to enforce fare collection. During the third quarter of 2024, fare evasions resulted in 38,422 civil summonses — a number that remained high in the first quarter of 2025, at 29,046.

The agency has also made changes to subway stations to make turnstile jumping harder. These include reconfiguring turnstiles and installing gate guards in more than 200 stations.

So far, turnstile fins and sleeves have reduced turnstile jumping by 60%, and stations with gate guards have seen a 36% drop in fare evasions [3]. But that doesn’t change the fact that unpaid fares are still costing the MTA — and by extension, costing legitimate riders more money.

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Reducing fare evasion could help close the MTA’s roughly $800 million operating budget gap. That matters because the more funding the MTA has, the better it can maintain and improve its infrastructure.

If the agency can’t collect enough in fares and tolls, it often has to raise them to make up for the lost revenue, meaning the people who pay their fares end up paying even more.

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In fact, the MTA Board has proposed changes to its fare structure starting in 2026. These include raising the base fare for buses and subways from $2.90 to $3 and increasing the reduced fare rate from $1.45 to $1.50. That might sound like a minor increase, but for cash-strapped New Yorkers, especially those who use the MTA 10 times a week, it’s a big deal.

Fares and tolls aren’t the MTA’s only revenue source, though. In 2024, about 70% of its funding came from various taxes, including payroll, sales and business taxes, according to the Office of the New York State Comptroller. With fare collections down, businesses and consumers are covering more of the MTA’s costs [4].

The agency also receives some federal funding each year. But according to New York City Comptroller Brad Lander’s office, those funds go mainly toward capital projects, not day-to-day operations [5].

In other words, if fare evasion continues unchecked, it’s the people who live, work and own businesses in and around New York City who will bear more of the financial burden.

Fare evasion could lead to higher fares, tolls and taxes for commuters. That’s why it’s in everyone’s best interest to help reduce it.

What can you do? First, always pay your own fare. Second, if you know someone who’s struggling to afford transit, help them check if they’re eligible for a reduced fare. That still gives the MTA some revenue.

If you see someone skipping the fare, report it. That doesn’t mean confronting a random stranger on a subway platform. Instead, you can file a report with the Office of the MTA Inspector General [6].

Even if it’s too late to stop the fare evader, alerting the MTA to vulnerable access points could prompt it to install better safeguards in those locations.

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[1]. Metro Transportation Authority. “ICYMI: Governor Hochul Announces MTA on Track for Record Year of Ridership and Performance in 2025”

[2]. Citizens Budget Commission. “No Fare: The Costs of MTA Fare and Toll Evasion”

[3]. Governor Kathy Kochul. “Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on MTA’s Efforts to Combat Fare Evasion”

[4]. Office of the New York State Comptroller. “DiNapoli Report Tracks MTA’s Shifting Revenue Streams”

[5]. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “NYC’s Federal Funding: Outlook Under Trump”

[6]. Office of the Inspector General. “Complaint Form”

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.