SANGMIN SONG

Riders on the Green Line—including many Boston University (BU) community members—may soon face more frequent fare checks, following the launch of the MBTA’s Fare Engagement team aimed at reducing fare evasion.

MBTA spokesperson Lisa Battiston wrote in an email response the exact rollout of the Fare Engagement team on the Green Line has yet to be determined, but further details will be released to the public once their deployment plans are finalized.

“There is not yet a confirmed deployment date for the Fare Engagement team to conduct additional customer outreach and education at street-level B Branch stops between Kenmore and Babcock Street,” Battiston wrote. “The MBTA is in the process of finalizing plans for the next phase of Fare Engagement Representatives deployment in the MBTA system, including along the B Branch.”

When deployed, Fare Engagement staff will use handheld devices to verify fare payment at stations and onboard trains, ensuring all riders have paid their fares.

“[Fare Engagement representatives] will systematically attempt to check all passengers onboard a vehicle to minimize discretion and bias,” Battiston explained. “Riders should expect to be periodically checked for fare payment, [but] they will not interact with Fare Engagement representatives on every trip.”

Fare evasion is especially common among BU community members, who often board without paying. The stretch from Kenmore Station to Babcock Street Station runs along the university’s campus, making it a frequent route for members to commute. The stations don’t have fare gates as they are on the ground level.

“I noticed that especially when classes are getting out, like afternoon as a hotspot it gets really crowded,” BU senior Brett Abrams said. “I don’t see many people pay the fares during those peak times, especially when there’s so many people getting on and off at those stops.”

The implementation of contactless payments, which allows riders to pay with debit or credit cards, has made it easier for some to board without paying when the doors open.

“People seem less concerned about not paying their fare post pandemic compared to pre-pandemic,” Terrance Regan, lecturer at BU Metropolitan College, said. “Go to BU Central Green Line and I bet you will see well over 70% of the riders getting into a rear door to evade having to pay a fare.”

Although BU Transportation Services offers discounted semester passes for students, participation in the program is low relative to the total student population.

“Nearly twenty years ago, in the Fall of 2005, we had the highest number. Slightly more than 5,000 semester passes were purchased then. This Spring just under 900 Semester Passes were purchased,” Colin Riley, executive director of BU media relations, wrote in an email. “Transportation Services recommend students make sure a semester pass is a good value for how often they expect to use it over the four months it will be active.”

The Fare Engagement team will issue civil tickets, called fare citations, to individuals who fail to pay the correct fare. A first offense within a three-year period will result in a formal warning with no fine. The second and third citations will each carry a $50 fine, while a fourth or subsequent will result in a $100 fine.

“Riders should expect to be periodically checked for correct fare payment on routes where all-door boarding is in effect,” Battiston explained. “Having a warning-first system will help make sure everyone knows how to pay their fare before being held accountable for doing so.”

The team is seen as a step toward making the system fairer, particularly for those who consistently pay their fares rather than taking advantage of the situation.

“I think the Fare Engagement teams are as much a kind of public facing publicity saying you should pay your fares,” Regan said. “When people see other people not pay fares, it kind of degrades the face of the system.”

There are concerns fare checks will slow down service, but Battiston explained the new system is designed to improve efficiency and ultimately save time for riders.

“When the new fare system is fully implemented, we’ll be able to transition to all-door boarding on buses and the Green Line, which is expected to decrease dwell time by up to 50% with trips ultimately becoming up to 10% faster,” Battiston wrote. “We recognize that allowing riders to board at rear doors eliminates the ability of bus and Green Line operators to ensure that everyone has paid.”

The Fare Engagement team has been operating between the Green Line’s Union Square and Medford/Tufts branches, as well as Back Bay on the Orange Line, since its initial deployment in October.

“The Fare Engagement team’s current customer engagement and education phase has been successful,” Battiston wrote. “Riders have expressed appreciation for the added support provided by the team with the team as a whole continuing to show positive fare validation growth within their assigned areas.”

Some experts showed concern the cost of implementing the Fare Engagement team may outweigh the revenue it will generate.

“The new Fare Engagement team is just one more way of the MBTA trying to enforce fare payment. They used to have MBTA police at the fare gates in days gone by,” Regan said. “Will it have a large impact? Probably not because it will cost as much to implement as it will in additional fares.”

According to Battiston, the Fare Engagement Team’s operating costs are included in the MBTA’s $2.6 million fiscal year 2025 budget for the program.

“The budget includes the 16 current representatives and two remaining open positions that are yet to be filled but are funded in the current operating budget,” Battiston wrote. “The department budget covers uniforms, office supplies for the back office, training for the overall team [and] start-up costs for office equipment.”

Mark Williams, a master lecturer at BU’s Questrom School of Business, said increased fare enforcement won’t be enough to address the MBTA’s broader financial challenges.

“Tightening fare evasion is only a drop in the bucket…even if the Fare Engagement initiatives were able to reduce ridership cheating, this only amounts to one percent of the MBTA’s operating budget,” Williams said. “To solve the [MBTA’s] ongoing financial problem will require greater leadership acknowledging that stabilizing it is vital to meeting the future transportation needs and contributing to the city and states future economic growth.”

While experts like Williams and Regan claim fare enforcement will only partially address the MBTA’s financial issues, the MBTA maintains that fare collection remains a crucial part of its budget.

“Fares are a critical part of the MBTA’s operating budget and the T is doing everything it can to collect all fares while also speeding up service on buses and the Green Line through the upcoming introduction of all-door boarding,” Battiston wrote.

As the Fare Engagement team begins its operations at Green Line stations and with more frequent fare checks ahead, riders should be mindful of their responsibility to pay their fares and avoid causing disruptions.

“I think it’s very hard for them to catch so I feel they just let it slide,” Abrams said. “[If they’re] just going a few stops, I understand why students wouldn’t pay.”