The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is cracking down on fare evasion by launching a new campaign reminding people to pay their fares.
This comes following a new internal audit report which revealed the transit agency lost $124 million in revenue due to people not paying their fare and overall, the fare evasion rate is nearly 12 per cent as of 2023.
These numbers are almost double the amount seen in 2018 where fare evasion was around six per cent and the TTC lost between $60 and 70 million in revenue as a result.
According to the report, the fare evasion rate is nearly 30 per cent on streetcars, 6.3 per cent in stations and 12.9 per cent on buses.
The report lists the 510 streetcar, the York Mills crash gate, and jumping the gate at Dufferin Station as some high traffic areas for fare evasion.
In addition, the TTC found that 94 per cent of people who used child cards were not 12 years old and under.
As a result, the TTC rolled out its new fare evasion campaign earlier this week which includes some posters that read “Tap out of respect” or “Can’t afford to pay?” that will soon be plastered across the transit system.
“The TTC is not free, and even with a significant City of Toronto operating subsidy, we rely heavily on fares. They fund safe, reliable service for hundreds of millions of customers every year and they allow us to keep those fares reasonably priced,” TTC CEO Rick Leary said in a statement.
“We need those who willfully deprive our system of funds to understand that their actions have consequences, including less service for others and a fine for themselves,” he continued.
The TTC says riders can also expect to see increased fare inspection at locations where fare evasion is high.
“Transit Fare Inspectors will be patrolling the downtown streetcar network and transfer points in stations and there will be an increased presence of supervisors and Special Constables on the bus network. These measures not only deter fare evasion, they help make the TTC safer through increased visibility of staff,” the agency said in a press release.
Riders who do not pay their fare could face a fine of up to $425.
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