Good afternoon, I’m Lisa Daglian, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC.
We appreciate the opportunity to see the report on Transit Adjudication Bureau activities from January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. Clearly a lot has changed in that time. I had the opportunity to serve on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Fare Evasion, which recommended that all eligible New Yorkers know about Fair Fares and are able to apply for it. That change, along with changes to the Public Authorities Law governing fines related to fare evasion, seem to have changed the dynamic quite a bit with a substantial increase in the number of warnings issued, versus adjudications and fines collected.
It would be particularly helpful to see this report in the context of how many additional people signed up for Fair Fares, how many warnings were issued, how many violations were issued to repeat fare evaders, and what the change has been at stations with guards and/or with new gate configurations. We would also like to see a breakdown of where the violations are occurring and steps being taken to mitigate them.
We would also appreciate an update on where things stand with transitioning the railroads to TAB, another recommendation of the Blue Ribbon panel. Our goal there was to help simplify the process for the MTAPD and also to recoup funds for the MTA. Clearly, the nature of the violations may differ, but since they occur on MTA property shouldn’t the fines collected be sent to MTA coffers?
Finance always includes a great deal of “meat” so we’re glad details on the July Plan will be provided at the Board Meeting on Wednesday. Thank you.