MTA Studies New Designs for Turnstiles to Combat Fare Evasion

The MTA is studying new designs for turnstiles that they hope will stop passengers who choose not to pay the fare.

The designs on display in Grand Central Terminal are too high to jump over and some models feature an alarm that goes off when two people try to pass but pay a single fare.

Officials say that last year alone, the agency saw $690 million in lost fares on subway, bus and commuter rail, as well as bridge and tunnel tolls.

The president of the MTA, Janno Lieber commented that it is a lost money that could be used to improve the service or invest in infrastructure.

But the implementation of the new turnstiles will not be seen soon.

They are demos and the MTA will be calling on manufacturers to submit their designs.

Meanwhile, the agency is testing wide-aisle doors at stations to replace the emergency exit doors that the MTA chief called, and we quote, a “fare-evasion superhighway.”