The WMATA commonly referred to as the Washington Metro is launching new fare gates at stations across the network to reduce fare evaders. The new gates feature a tall glass door as opposed to the current gates featuring small wooden slot style doors. New instillations have been completed at Bethesda, Congress Heights, Federal Center Mount Vernon Square and Wheaton. Additional stations will see the new redesigned fare gates over the coming months.
Reducing Fare Evaders At Train Stations
The WMATA and engineers have taken careful consideration when designing the new fare gates. The new design incorporates a door panel that goes over the faregate eliminating gaps between the openings. The barrier height is increased from 28 Inches to 55 Inches, thus making it harder to jump over the fare gates. The doors are made of polycarbonate which is stronger than glass, lighter and more durable. According to the WMATA the Mount Vernon Square station alone saw an 84% decline in fare evasion. The WMATA is also reducing fares fares for qualifying individuals enrolled in SNAP benefits in the DC area. These measures will help to improve travel on Washington DC’s metro system.
13 responses to “Washington Metro New Fare Gates Prevent Fare Evasion”
Escalators never work…station smells like piss and now they really determine to charge people for the experience
Buy a car and you won’t have to worry about being charged money to ride WMATA
A long-needed move xcept for the hundreds of these criminal gate jumpers and cascades of bus fare evaders I see every week who then go to manage other passengers by breaking every other rule such as loud vile audio, eating and drinking and now potheads.
It’s about time!!! And where is the Metro Transit Police…. sitting in their beautiful SUVs. They need to be standing at these gates and making arrests. Small crimes lead to larger ones.
Exactly
The fares from largo town center to DC foggy bottom is to much. How is our hourly rate that we must use all on train fares. Please do something about it or alot of people will continue to evasion
Question!!!!!!Is the program to ride free for DC residents in effect?
That don’t stop them I’ve seen them still jump it
It is a pleasure to see these new installations. It keeps these morons from getting on the train!
Yup but the bus schedules are off. There’s always some delay. And, the trains on certain lines are disgusting. There are way more ppl who pay than don’t. Put the money elsewhere.
I hope this helps because it’s only going to increase public transportation for everyone including seniors which I am and I have no problem paying my fare share. If there is any time a issue and I don’t have the money for my fare I’m going to mention it to the appropriate person. Saying something is always good to do.
No, it’s not all you Gotta do is push the gate forward real hard and they’re easy to break
If Metro was going to spend the money to replace hundreds of fare gates, why not spend it on gates that would have been 100% effective rather than 84%?
Instead you took a half-measure that just makes it a challenge game for evaders. And apparently at least 16% are succeeding (and I suspect you picked the best result to highlight in the release and that results are worse at other stations).
And how much money did you spend on this project? What is the payback period from decreased evasion? I’ve seen several announcements from you about this project and nowhere is this question addressed. Maybe those of us who have never jumped a gate deserve the courtesy of honest communication from you??