{"id":99980,"date":"2026-01-14T13:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/99980\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T13:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:35:09","slug":"videos-show-riders-evading-mtas-new-fare-gates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/99980\/","title":{"rendered":"Videos show riders evading MTA\u2019s new fare gates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/j3peinbub30n8tdb.jpg\" alt=\"MTA tests new gates at 20 stations to curb fare evasion\" class=\"sr-only\" data-v-4292be72=\"\"\/>    <\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">NEW YORK &#8211; As the MTA tests new fare gates across the city, some riders are finding unexpected ways to walk through without paying.<\/p>\n<p original-article-post=\"\" origination_station=\"WNYW\" data-v-ec26887a=\"\" data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">What we know:<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Videos circulating on social media show commuters slipping past the MTA\u2019s newest fare gates \u2014 not by jumping them, but by tossing a jacket, scarf or piece of clothing over the sensors to trigger the doors open, then walking straight through without paying.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">The clips are raising fresh questions about whether the MTA\u2019s high-tech answer to fare evasion can outsmart riders determined not to swipe.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">In one TikTok video obtained by FOX 5 NY, a commuter is seen removing a bonnet from his head and tossing it over the new fare gates. The bonnet hits the floor, the doors swing open, and four or five people walk through as an alarm begins to sound.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">One of the creators, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/officialkiingspiider\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@officialkiingspiider<\/a>, has garnered millions of views by showing how riders are able to evade turnstiles despite the MTA\u2019s new gates.<\/p>\n<p>  $1.1B MTA project <\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">The transit authority is piloting three new styles of fare gates at 20 stations citywide, including Broadway-Lafayette, as part of a broader push to crack down on fare evasion \u2014 a problem that isn\u2019t cheap.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">According to the Citizens Budget Commission, the MTA lost about $1 billion in revenue in 2024 due to fare and toll evasion.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">The pilot is part of a $1.1 billion system upgrade, the MTA says.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Stations were selected based on ridership levels, fare evasion rates, accessibility needs and whether they serve as major transit hubs.<\/p>\n<p> How the new gates work <\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Unlike traditional turnstiles, the new gates only accept tap-and-ride payment. Riders can enter using:<\/p>\n<p> A contactless credit or debit cardAn OMNY cardA smartphone or smart device <\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Once inside, riders do not have to tap out. Sensors detect people exiting and automatically open the doors.<\/p>\n<p>  Mixed reactions from riders <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/screenshot-2026-01-13-180957.png\" alt=\"\" data-v-0dea8073=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n<p data-v-0dea8073=\"\">Screenshot from FOX 5 NY newscast.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p original-article-post=\"\" origination_station=\"WNYW\" data-v-ec26887a=\"\" data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">What they&#8217;re saying:<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Not everyone is sold on the sleek new setup.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">&#8220;You want to know what would have been more efficient? Just get the metal ones that go \u2018deet, deet, deet,\u2019&#8221; one rider told FOX 5 NY\u2019s Lisa Evers.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Another commuter described the gates as &#8220;frightening&#8221; and &#8220;too much.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Others say the gates make traveling easier \u2014 especially with luggage.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">&#8220;You get to pay and use your carry-on, and you go right through, so yeah, I think it\u2019s good,&#8221; a man with a suitcase said.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">Some riders, however, worry about safety.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">&#8220;Sometimes it\u2019s dangerous, you know, because sometimes you just want to exit, and sometimes \u2014 like what happened to me \u2014 it blocked me,&#8221; one woman said.<\/p>\n<p> What the MTA is seeing so far <\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">During the trial at Broadway-Lafayette, MTA staff and police were stationed near the new gates. Officials said they did not observe any fare evasion at those entrances.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">At the opposite end of the station, where traditional turnstiles remain, fare evasion was quickly spotted, according to officials.<\/p>\n<p original-article-post=\"\" origination_station=\"WNYW\" data-v-ec26887a=\"\" data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">What we don&#8217;t know:<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">While the gates may slow down some would-be freeloaders, the viral videos suggest riders are already testing the system\u2019s limits.<\/p>\n<p data-v-6c8e215c=\"\">It\u2019s still unclear whether the new gates will be effective long-term \u2014 or whether the MTA will need to tweak the technology to stay one step ahead of fare evaders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"group-source-paragraph\" data-v-4fbf7207=\"\">The Source: This report is based on information from the MTA, the Citizens Budget Commission and videos online.<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox5ny.com\/tag\/organization\/mta\" class=\"tags-tag\" data-v-6c8e215c=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MTA<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox5ny.com\/tag\/us\/ny\/nyc\" class=\"tags-tag\" data-v-6c8e215c=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New York City<\/a> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK &#8211; As the MTA tests new fare gates across the city, some riders are finding unexpected&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":99981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[141,9,24,55,54,12,56,63,848,618],"class_list":{"0":"post-99980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-mta","9":"tag-new-york","10":"tag-new-york-city","11":"tag-new-york-city-headlines","12":"tag-new-york-city-news","13":"tag-news","14":"tag-ny","15":"tag-nyc","16":"tag-organization","17":"tag-us"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}