Dufty: Raise fare evasion fines to $500 max
As part of the continuing budget debate about the MTA, Supervisor Dufty is urging Muni to raise fines for fare evasion to $75 from the current $50, and more importantly raise fines for repeat offenses to $500 for a third offense.
Although this won’t close the budget gap on its own, this is a much needed proposal. Fare evasion is a serious problem on Muni, particularly on many bus lines where riders board via the back door with impunity. With fares going up to $2 soon, fare paying riders deserve to know that everyone is paying his or her fair share. If this is done, MTA needs to post signs reminding riders of the $500 maximum fine – as is done for red light photo enforcement and carpool lanes.
Perhaps littering on the bus should also have a $500 maximum fine?
I agree with any and all proposals to penalize fare-evaders, and even more important I support any effort to nail the pigs who trash public transit vehicles and stations. But I also think MUNI should do a better job of making trash and recycling receptacles available at stations in particular. It remains to be seen how effective these stiffer penalties might benefit the overall ridership and cleanliness of the vehicles and stations if there isn’t attention to enforcement. Ever take a ride on the #22 Fillmore bus after (or during) school transit/traffic hours? Awful. Or the T/K lightrail line after a Giants game? The signal would be loud and clear about not littering if there was visible enforcement activity, especially at peak times.
A $75 first time offense makes sense considering the price of passes is going up to $55, but only if the chances of a first time offender being caught is high enough. There are a lot of buses that remain un-enforced, so it is still worth it to cheat instead of paying for pass or cash fare.
If transit cheats can’t figure out how to dodge fare inspectors and get ticketed three times, then certainly they should be fined $500.
The other VERY important thing is to make sure the tickets are not thrown out – regardless of who the offender is. The new system of treating them like traffic tickets appears to be working better in this regard.
Honestly, I don’t think hiking the fines will do much. It’s bad enough when riders commit offenses (eating, drinking, loud music, evading fares), but when transit police and MUNI employees look the other way and/or take advantage of the system themselves then you know it’s a losing battle. Go ahead and hike the fares, charge for transfers, cut service…make public transit inconvenient and expensive for those who are honest and hardworking. After 15 years without a car (half of that time enjoying the transit systems in DC and NYC), I’m over SF public transit. Back to driving.
KIDS RIDE FREE !!
Yes unless the Muni employee is wrong and the Muni Fare Inspector is using her imaginary discretionary powers to pick and chose who to write tickets for ??
Three teens got on the M line last Thursday July second 09 and fare inspectors asked to see POP and when they were found to have expired transfers they were instructed to go to the next car where the driver was and pay the fare.
They complied and than it was our turn for POP.
I showed my disabled sticker because I don’t need a ticket but my friend’s transfer had expired by forty minutes .
I do not defend her having an expired transfer BUT I asked the Muni Fare Inspector ” Why can’t my friend go to the next car and pay her fare like the teenagers did?”
I stood up and asked again in a clear but firm manner and I was ignored untill I raised my voice but not to the point where they would feel afraid of me but one of the MFI’s said ” It is our discretion”.
We got off at West Portal and I asked to speak to a Muni Inspector but the lady at the kiosk was very pleasant and answered my questions.
She said ” We(MUNI) can not ticket minors “.
I ask you the people if a teenager can drive a car at sixteen and can receive a ticket from a police officer for traffic violations than why can’t minors be ticketed for fare evasions ??
Cash helps the city coffers and so does community service for all fare evaders and yes even friends with expired transfers.
Sincerely
Keith Wayne Kemp