New Subway Fare Gates being Tested by MTA to be installed at 20 Stations

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has selected four types of wider fare gates as part of a pilot program for the subway system. The agency has already decided on eight of the 20 subway stations it plans to outfit with the new fare gates better designed to eliminate fare evasion while providing ADA accessibility and making it easier for people with strollers and luggage. As part of a $1.1 billion investment over the next five years to modernize fare gates at 150 of the city’s 472 subway stations, four companies experienced in the installation of fare gates have been shortlisted by the MTA as potential vendors — New Jersey-based Conduent, San Francisco-headquartered Cubic, Germany-based Scheidt & Bachmann, and South Korean firm STraffic. Testing will begin this fall with the installations requiring “major technology upgrades” by the MTA. Each vendor’s fare gates will be installed at five locations with comparable traffic levels including Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr, 14th St-Union Square, 42 St-Port authority Bus Terminal, Delancey St-Essex St, Nostrand Av, Crown Heights-Utica Av, Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave, and Forest Hills-71 Av. Other anti-fare evasion strategies already in place that have delivered some success include assigned gate guards at more than 200 stations resulting in a 36% reduction in fare evasion, gates with delayed egress currently installed at more than 70 stations have lowered fare evasion by 10%, and a 60% decrease in turnstile jumping has been achieved at stations where turnstile sleeves and fins were installed. Since 40% of the MTA’s operating budget comes from fares and tolls, fare compliance directly impacts the MTA’s ability to run the system according to the press release by Governor Hochul’s office.

Source:    https://www.crainsnewyork.com/transportation/mta-plans-test-four-new-styles-subway-gates-20-stations