The MTA Cracks Down On Fare Evasion With Newly Installed Deterrents At Certain Train Stations

Gone are the days when you can sneak by the turnstiles in New York City subway stations (though, dear reader, we know this isn't you — don't worry, we won't tell). The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is cracking down on its public transportation system, and riders are still abusing it. Any visit to the subway station will have stealthy users hopping the turnstiles, trying to get by without paying, and security has had enough. They started installing half-moon "spikes" on turnstiles to deter people from jumping over them. They started to appear all over the city, and recently (as of the time of publication), on the Upper West Side. This change is in tandem with the MTA's new rule to increase fares, but that won't be in effect until January 2026.

The question is, are they effective? The crescent-stoppers were put in place in other areas of NYC as early as February 2025, and video footage from CSB News New York still caught people on camera jumping over them. While it does make it harder to make the initial hop, some say just because you can't get over doesn't mean you can't go under. Of course, the challenge of doing both can catch the eyes of security more easily, so it's important to follow the law and pay for your ticket.

The "war on fare evasion" has had the public vocal on what they think about MTA's new implementation (via Reddit). The big topic is the money invested. While it's clear from CSB News New York's video footage that people still are leaping over the crescent moons, some people on Reddit do believe it's quite effective. In fact, one commenter acknowledged that while it's not a 100% deterrent, they believe it will discourage 1% of visitors, which, in New York, can be 7 million people a year. They make note that it is a cheap change, but if this is how they save money to assist in solving the problem, it can be worth it.

Others wonder why they don't just implement the vertical spinning gates, but some replied that it's quite expensive and MTA most likely doesn't have the budget to add those all over the city. Let's face it: The New York subway system is chaotic, especially for visitors, so it's important to just follow the rules, purchase a subway fare, and use the turnstiles properly.

From New York to Washington, states across the country are doing their best to improve their public transportation. Curious to see what others are doing? See our feature on Washington's unveiling of its double-decker buses.