Elmhurst Ave Top Station For Subway Fare Beating

Flickr user Rachel Pincus

The Bx12 may invite fare beating on buses, but the Elmhurst Avenue G,R,V station is apparently the easiest subway station in which to skip turnstiles. The Daily News counted one fare beater every 10 minutes one day in March, adding up to $353.25 in lost revenue. One local student said, "Whoever you ask will tell you the same thing: It's not fair. The rest of us pay. Why don't they?" Because they can get on the subway for free.

Most walked through the emergency exit gate after exiting passengers, who were simply too impatient to use a turnstile, pushed through on the other side. An alarm sounds every time the door is opened, but since booth attendants are instructed not to confront fare beaters, they let them pass and report the incidents to a command center. The epidemic may grow once nearly 500 station booth workers' layoffs are finalized this Friday.

Though the layoffs save the MTA $21 million a year, it doesn't cover the $27 million they lose from fare beaters, a number which may go up with less station supervision. NYC Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges said, "We work with the NYPD to fight all types of crime, including fare evasion, and we will continue to do that." But until they increase surveillance, head out to Elmhurst Avenue and you can catch a free ride home!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in News on May 3, 2010 1:56 PM

Comments [rss]

sealab2021

I come through this station every day and it's usually crawling with cops either 1) waiting or 2) writing a summons. And it's usually 14/15-yr-old kids.

ANGRYGOD11

Fare beaters like these are creatures of habit. The MTA could get some low cost cameras, study and time the recordings and them hit the farebeaters on Friday with 5 tickets (Monday-Friday).

And brag about it to the media.

Kojak

Remove the emergency exists and install the larger metal 'jail' gates.

Problem solved.

Automocar

I don't think that really qualifies them as "emergency exits" then.

schadenfreudian mensch

"The epidemic may grow once nearly 500 station booth workers' layoffs are finalized this Friday."

And what were they going to do in the first place since they aren't allow out of the booth anyways? Admonish the farebeater through the incoherent loud speaker system? Wow yea that's going to work.

Gothampc

"Most walked through the emergency exit gate after exiting passengers"

And the rest were children whose parents are cheap and tell them to crawl under the turnstile even though they are 15 years old and 6' tall.