Fare evasion is a theft of service. It is a challenge faced by transit systems across the country, and SEPTA is no exception. We estimate that fare evasion costs our system millions of dollars each year—money that could otherwise be used to improve service, safety and infrastructure for our riders.
Transit agencies in cities like New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. also report millions of dollars lost annually to fare evasion. This is not just a SEPTA problem – but we are taking real steps to address it.
What We’re Doing About It
Enforcement
In spring 2024, SEPTA received approval to begin issuing criminal citations for fare evasion. Since then, our Transit Police have issued nearly 6,000 citations with fines of up to $300. This effort has helped identify other illegal activity – resulting in over 700 arrests of wanted individuals and contributing to a 33% drop in serious crime, the largest one-year decrease in our Transit Police Department’s history.
Targeted Operations
We’ve begun focused enforcement at known fare evasion hot spots. For example, a four-week effort at Huntingdon Station on the Market-Frankford Line brought fare evasion down to nearly zero while officers were on site. Similar actions will be underway at other key locations.
Surface Transit Patrols
SEPTA has launched a new Surface Transportation Unit dedicated to enforcing fare compliance on buses and trolleys, where entry is not controlled by fare gates.
Technology & Infrastructure
To stop fare evasion before it starts, we’re upgrading our infrastructure. New full-height fare gates – tested successfully at 69th Street Transportation Center – will be installed at nine additional Metro stations starting in fiscal year 2026 (after July 1, 2026). This $10 million investment will make it harder to jump, crawl or sneak through without paying.
More on the Way
We’re also working on:
- Reducing rear-door boarding on buses
- Increasing fare checks by train conductors
- Cracking down on tailgating at ADA-accessible gates
- Partnering with schools and universities on awareness campaigns
- Exploring new technologies to identify and reduce evasion
- Considering “tap out” options across more transit modes
Fare payment is not just about revenue—it’s about fairness and safety. When people don’t pay, everyone loses. By stepping up enforcement and making strategic investments, we’re working hard to ensure that every rider does their part.
Contact Transit Police
- Emergency Phone: 215-580-8111
- Text-a-Tip: 215-234-1911
The SEPTA Transit Watch app, available for Mac IOS and Android, lets you report incidents in seconds.
Emergency Call Boxes in subway stations put you in immediate contact with Transit Police.
To report an emergency, operator assault or suspicious situation and you do not have phone or call box access, notify a vehicle operator, conductor, or booth attendant immediately.