SEPTA is deploying police to crack down on fare evaders

Driving the news: SEPTA began deploying transit police to watch for fare evasion at the Huntington Station in Kensington along the Market-Frankford Metro line last week.

• Enforcement will also be ramped up indefinitely at selected locations throughout rail, bus and trolley lines, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch tells Axios.

Cost: Fines range from $25 to $150, but a municipal judge could increase the fine to $300 before court costs.

• Worth noting: SEPTA reverted to higher fines for fare evading last July amid concerns around systemwide safety and quality-of-life issues.

By the numbers: Fare evasion citations have been way up in recent years, per SEPTA data.

• They hit nearly 5,700 in 2024 — up roughly 167% from the previous year.
• Through the first quarter of this year, issued citations surpassed 2,000, up more than 170% over the same period in 2024.

Fare evasion accounted for 18% of all rides across SETPA's system as of last year, costing the agency from $30 million to $68 million in lost revenue, per the Inquirer.

• Busch didn't have updated fare evasion data as he said the agency was reviewing it.

What's next: The installation of 100 full-length fare gates, aimed at deterring nonpaying riders, will begin in the coming months along the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines, starting with the City Hall station.