Proposal offers kinder, gentler alternative for those skipping Metro bus fares (Seattle: credit report, house)

[CrazyDonkey]

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/pro...ares/799712874

• First violations would remain a verbal warning.
• The second would be $50 or less compared to the $124 people are currently fined.
• And if you don't want to or can't pay, the county would offer a non-monetary option such as community service.

The proposal is in response to an April report that found the fare enforcement program for RapidRide buses is costing taxpayers $1.7 million a year.

KIRO 7 took a closer look at the study and found that in 2016, officers issued more than 3,900 infraction tickets, but only 94 people paid their $124 fines.

That's less than 2.5 percent -- totaling about $12,000.

That's $483,600 in unpaid fares (3,900 x $124), not counting first violations. The fare enforcement program costs over three times that amount ($1.7 million), but collects only $12,000. That shows that most of the fare skippers are likely homeless or indigent.

Most bus drivers just wave people on who can't (or won't) pay, due to the threat of violence from confrontations. That is way, way more than the 3,900 caught up in the fare enforcement dragnet.

Is this a real problem? Shame and peer pressure stop most people from skipping paying the fare. Those that do skip, mostly don't care. I can see continuing fare enforcement on light rail or streetcars, where there is offboard fare payment, but I don't see much point doing it on buses.

[Ira500]

Most bus drivers just wave people on who can't (or won't) pay, due to the threat of violence from confrontations.

Metro drivers do that because it's official Metro policy. I'm sure some drivers would prefer to confront and shame the non fare payers, but they're not supposed to.

[CrazyDonkey]

That's not quite it, but it is close:

Authorities said Metro's policy for passengers who don't pay their fare is to ask one time for their fare, if safe to do so, and not to engage with belligerent riders.

This is why:

A dispute over bus fare went out of control Monday morning when the bus rider who wouldn't pay shot a Metro driver on a rush hour bus full of people in downtown Seattle. Then police chased down the suspect, shooting him on a second bus.

The suspected gunman died sometime before 4:30 p.m. Monday. The bus driver, who was shot twice, was talking and expected to recover.

https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenew...le-4725721.php

Fare evaders who know the policy can just ignore the fare payment request and, in most cases, will not be further challenged. Some simply say, "I can't pay", "I have no money", or something similar, and are usually allowed to ride without further objection. I have seen a driver, on more than one occasion, basically nod to a passenger boarding without paying, presumably because they know, from experience, that they can't/won't pay. I have very occasionally seen a driver (always a male) refuse to allow someone who hasn't paid to ride.

[leastprime]

I would like some limitations to non-fare payment. Face recognition for example.
Continual non-fares could "enable" more fare skips. Definitely want to limit the number of smelly people on the transits.

I wonder how the Yesler & 17th Ave, tiny house, housing will work. Will the #27 bus spread the homeless problem into Capitol Hill streetcar areas, lower CD and Leschi-Mt Baker?

[CrazyDonkey]

We had a tiny house camp in West Ballard, next to the Sloop. It caused zero problems. We actually have had fewer homeless in the area since. They cleared a couple illegal camps (and fenced them off). We need more well-run legal camps, not fewer.


The lowering of the fine and, if they can't pay, community service, rather than a debt, is so that it won't show up on a credit report or background check and become an additional barrier to housing and employment.


I'm okay with discouraging fare evasion, but spending $1.7 million to collect $12,000 is a bit rich. Once they kick the buses out of the transit tunnel, maybe they could put in payment barriers (turnstiles).

[MondoTime]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/pro...ares/799712874

That's $483,600 in unpaid fares (3,900 x $124), not counting first violations. The fare enforcement program costs over three times that amount ($1.7 million), but collects only $12,000. That shows that most of the fare skippers are likely homeless or indigent.

Most bus drivers just wave people on who can't (or won't) pay, due to the threat of violence from confrontations. That is way, way more than the 3,900 caught up in the fare enforcement dragnet.

Is this a real problem? Shame and peer pressure stop most people from skipping paying the fare. Those that do skip, mostly don't care. I can see continuing fare enforcement on light rail or streetcars, where there is offboard fare payment, but I don't see much point doing it on buses.

Your analysis doesn’t include the effect of all of the reputable humans in and around the system viewing the ‘Fare Enforcement’ routine and then being inspired not to cheat the system as the others do.

Your analysis would suffice were it a stand-alone business costing $1.7 Mil. to run over a period which brought revenues of just $12,000.

How often do you EVER witness anyone with any class or decency being caught-up by the ‘Fare Enforcement’ routine??

They are ALL lowlifes and that, rather than any ineffectiveness you perceive in the F.E. system, is WHYYYY the revenue from fines is so small.

If you want to avoid lowlifes then don’t ride Metro and don’t walk the streets.