New York City transit fares
As of December 31, 2020[update], all subway stations, the Staten Island Railway,[a] and all MTA-operated buses are equipped with OMNY readers.
Children under 44" tall ride for free with fare-paying rider; limit is 3[2] except for NYC Ferry[15] and Express Buses.
[18]: Appendix II Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard and OMNY customers cannot make subway-to-subway transfers by exiting the turnstile and entering again, with two exceptions: Until 2011, an extra out-of-system subway-to-subway transfer was allowed in Long Island City, Queens, between 23rd Street–Ely Avenue/Long Island City–Court Square on the IND Queens Boulevard and Crosstown Lines and 45th Road–Court House Square on the IRT Flushing Line.
[53] Although the subway and bus fare was supposed to be increased again in 2021, this was postponed after the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided short-term funding for the MTA.
[82] Starting on May 1, 2022, the fare for the Q70 bus was waived while the New York state government studied alternatives to the planned AirTrain LaGuardia people-mover system.
[104] On August 31, 1969, exact fares in tokens or coins became required on buses, with bus operators no longer providing change to reduce robberies.
Sidney H. Bingham, General Manager of the NYCTA, stayed up all night with a turnstile mechanism in the Times Square workshop making various adjustments.
[129] For six months, a rider could use either a MasterCard Paypass or VISA PayWave credit/debit card to pay for a fare on an expanded list of subway and bus routes.
After London Underground’s 2005 terrorism attacks, fire codes required “panic bars”, allowing each gate to be opened from the paid side, expediting emergency evacuation.
While a loud, piercing, and warbling alarm sounds whenever EXGs are opened, general public took to using gates for exiting (substantially reducing queues), especially at unstaffed locations.
[140] In an attempt to reduce fare evasion, in May 2023, the MTA exhibited several designs for half-height and full-height Plexiglas turnstiles, which would replace the SETs.
Children under 44 inches (110 cm) (turnstile machines’ top height) must crawl under when entering with fare-paying adults (not permissible when travelling alone).
An added complication is several unofficial system entry methods resulting in no revenue loss but forbidden by tariff are frequently practiced.
At unstaffed locations, fellow passengers often open EXGs for entry by customers with bulk packages after witnessing them rotate turnstiles without entering.
Police in uniform, construction workers, contractors in safety vests, employees, and concession vendors often enter with keys or agent's permission.
To attract passengers, TA even introduced a premium fare "Train to the Plane" – staffed by a Transit police officer at all times.
Prompt removal of graffiti and prevention of blatant fare evasion would become central pillars of the strategy to assure customers that the subway is "fast, clean, and safe".
[156][157] Regardless of causality, evasion checks resulted in many arrests for outstanding warrants or weapons charges, likely contributing somewhat to public safety improvements.
[52] New turnstiles, including unstaffed high wheels, and floor-to-ceiling service gates, featured lessons learned from trials.
[160][161] In response, Byford stated that the MTA was studying ways to physically prevent fare evaders from jumping over subways turnstiles, or entering the rear doors of buses where they did not need to pay.
The original FATF (1988–1997) was reconvened in 2009 to review trends and coordinate mitigation strategies between MTA and New York City Police Department (NYPD)’s Transit Bureau.
Affectionately called “burgundy jackets”, SCAs do not sell farecards, instead they walk around solving customers issues, including fare machine usage.
A civil suit concerning the 2005 sexual assault at the 21st Street and Jackson Avenue station, which occurred despite the alarm having been raised by the agent.
Following this finding, MTA reinstructed station supervisors and agents on importance and revenue impacts of keeping gates locked.
MTA provides MVM vandalism intelligence to NYPD, which utilizes hidden portable wireless digital video cameras in “sting” operations to gather evidence against organized fare abuse rings and identify leaders.
In years past, theft-of-service crimes were often dismissed with time served (several days in Riker's Island), but by working with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and Midtown Community Court, FATF achieved escalating sentences for recidivists.
With appropriate legal framework, like traffic stops, evasion checks can be effective in identifying and arresting criminals wanted on outstanding warrants.
PIDs[further explanation needed] cover fare controls from every conceivable angle with high fidelity video, positively identifying terror suspects.
On Port Authority Trans-Hudson (and some New York City Subway stations), hidden rooms with half-silvered glass or surveillance portals are provided for covert police observation.
[174] NYCT increased fines to $100 in July 2008, the maximum TAB can levy without further approvals, to support conversion to Proof-of-Payment (POP) fare collection for the Select Bus Service.
