22-04-2025
LA Metro continues to make life hard for fare evaders
Metro is moving forward with its crackdown on fare evaders by installing new taller faregates.
The L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority formally approved funding for the measure to upgrade existing gated stations with taller gates in February.
'Taller faregates have features such as precise motion sensors that can accurately detect fare evasion behaviors, such as 'tailgating,' crawling under and climbing over, as well as electromechanical locks to prevent forced entries and paddle-style doors that improve accessibility for customers with bicycles, luggage or other items,' the Metro Board said in their report on the issue in February. 'The taller faregates also have large color-coded displays to alert personnel of fare evasion attempts [and] these gates offer potential integration with third-party advanced security solutions, such as enhanced camera detection for weapons or other threats.'
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The gates were originally piloted at the soon-to-be-completed LAX/Metro Transit Center Station, which was 'proceeding as planned,' according to Metro's report. Thus, officials decided that the technology should be implemented at ten existing stations, and a further 11 had the new gates installed as part of Phase 2 of the project.
The stations that received the taller fare gates are:
Lake (A Line)
Firestone (A Line)
Pershing Square (B/D lines)
7th Street/Metro Center (A/B/D/E/J lines)
Westlake/MacArthur Park (B/D lines)
Wilshire/Vermont (B/D lines)
Vermont/Santa Monica (B Line)
Hollywood/Western (B Line)
North Hollywood (B/G lines)
Willowbrook/Rosa Parks (A/C lines)
Mariachi Plaza (E Line)
Harbor Freeway (C/J lines)
Aviation/LAX (K Line)
Vermont/Athens (C Line)
Del Amo (A Line)
Civic Center/Grand Park (B/D lines)
Compton (A Line)
Slauson (A Line)
Expo/La Brea (E Line)
Avalon (C Line)
Long Beach Blvd. (A Line)
The stations were selected based on data showing they have experienced 'significant' fare evasion and misuse of emergency swing gates, officials explained.
'As Metro continues to improve the station experience, taller faregates can be integrated into station redesigns, complementing current initiatives such as TAP to exit, improved signage and passenger flow enhancements,' Metro said. 'Taller faregates can improve safety and security for Metro customers and employees while encouraging fare compliance.'
Some of the new gates had already been installed and were being tested late last year; Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who serves on the Metro Board, posted a video of her using the new technology in December.
'I'm thrilled Metro is piloting new hardened gate technology,' her post to X said. 'These taller gates are designed to reduce fare evasion and enhance access control. It's another step in Metro's commitment to improving safety.'
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With the new gates come three new non-contract full-time equivalent positions for maintaining them: a supervising engineer, a senior engineer and a principal software engineer. The positions will assist in the third-party integration of the gates and support future projects.
The project will cost a total of $15.3 million and is being funded by Proposition C.
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