Governor Hochul Announces New Subway Gate Pilot Reduced Fare Evasion by 35%, Unveils Next 20 Stations to Receive Modern Fare Gates

TA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said, "Station accessibility goes far beyond elevators. It's about how smoothly one can move from the entrance to the platform. These touch-free fare gates represent a leap forward in making our transit system more welcoming for everyone, especially riders like me who use a mobility device, those pushing strollers, or carrying luggage. Bringing these gates to more stations is a key step toward a system built for all New Yorkers."

In December 2023, the MTA issued a Request for Information (RFI) to identify qualified firms to design modern fare gates that met specified technical requirements. Three vendors advanced to the piloting phase and provided new gates at no cost to the MTA at a total of 20 stations for a chance to prove they can work in the New York City transit system. Some stations received a fully replaced fare array, others received only a new wide-aisle access gate.

Last fall, the MTA began evaluating the new fare gates based on their impact on fare evasion, accessibility, customer experience, entry and egress throughput, maintenance, integration, and data and detection accuracy. Since the pilot began, roughly 29 million entries and 34 million exits have been recorded, and roughly 40 to 50 percent of typical daily subway riders have used the new gates at least once.

The stations that received new fare gates have experienced an average of a 35 percent reduction in fare evasion, with the largest decreases recorded at Hoyt St 2 3 and Nostrand Av A C, both with a 72 percent decrease, and 3 Av-138 St 6 with a reduction of 65 percent in fare evasion.

Throughout the pilot, the MTA made adjustments to the technology based on performance and customer feedback. These findings were critical in determining the final designs for the system. The next 20 stations slated to receive new fare gates will be:

Brooklyn

• 36 St DNR
• Bedford Av L
• Coney Island-Stillwell Av DFNQ
• Hoyt-Schermerhorn ACG
• Myrtle Av JMZ
• Newkirk Plaza BQ

Bronx

• 3 Av-149 St 25
• 161 St-Yankee Stadium 4BD
• Fordham Rd BD
• Parkchester 6

Manhattan

• 14 St-Union Sq 456LNQRW
• 72 St 123
• 86 St 456
• 125 St 456
• Chambers St 123
• Spring St CE

Queens

• Astoria Blvd NW
• Flushing-Main St 7
• Forest Hills-71 Av EFMR
• Sutphin Blvd/Archer Av-JFK Airport EJZ