NYPD Nabs More Subway, Bus Fare-Beaters: Report

More undercover and uniformed officers have begun riding buses and trains to arrest scofflaws

The free ride is over for some city riders who use public transportation without paying, according to a published report.

The NYPD has filled city buses with undercover and uniformed police officers in order to catch riders who sneak on without paying, a practice MTA officials told the New York Post costs the agency $100 million a year.

There have been 1,228 fare-beating arrests between Jan. 1 and June 24, a 102 percent increase from last year, according to NYPD statistics released Monday.

The Bronx had the most arrests, with 922 caught hopping on without paying. Staten Island came in second place, with 60 arrests.

The MTA says most of the fare-beating happens on city buses, where riders sneak on using back entrances or simply walk on without paying and intimidate bus riders when confronted.

Those who beat the fare on subways tend to be children who have outgrown the 44-inch height limit but still ride for free.

The NYPD's transit chief, Joseph Fox, urged riders at the MTA's transit committee hearing Monday to report any turnstile jumpers or scofflaws to the police, even if the suspect is gone by the time police arrive.

Reporting the incidents can help the NYPD track where the fare beating is happening, he explained.

"We could use all the help we can get," he said.
 

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