In an effort to boost ridership back to pre-pandemic levels, Metro Transit is cracking down on fare-skipping on its trains and rapid transit buses.
Beginning Dec. 1, community service officers — instead of actual police officers — will be checking to make sure riders paid their fare before boarding.
The initiative coincides with a new law that eliminates fare non-payment being considered a misdemeanor-level offense, which hasn’t been widely enforced.
Metro Transit General Manager Leslie Kandaras discussed the recent plan to crack down on free rides.
“They will be prepared to call in police officers if needed, but we really feel they’ll be well trained to navigate these situations and really just help support our efforts to get more presence on the system,” Kandaras said.
Kandaras also shared that having more uniformed fare-checkers will help with safety concerns, as it increases the official presence on the system, something passengers and staff say makes for a better riding experience.