This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.
Subway riders will now have to go through a turnstyle like in most cities:
Under a proudly distinct honor system intended to buck East Coast practices and reduce operating costs, riders buy their tickets, get on the train and present them to a sheriff’s deputy or civilian inspector — if any happen to ask.
What’s interesting to me is the fact that 95% of people do pay. So it would seem silly that the turnstyles are being put in — at a cost of $30M and $1M/yr to operate — mainly to catch the last 5%. However, the agency argues that the system is growing, and they want flexibility in ticketing:
The gates could also improve security and be used for smart cards, passes with computer chips in them that would make it more practical to charge distance-based fares and give riders more options to pay beforehand.
Previously:
The Honor System
Free Riders
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