WASHINGTON — A months-long fight to relax penalties on those who do not pay D.C. public transit fare has been shot down by the city’s mayor, but her move might not mean anything.
Wednesday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser vetoed a bill to decriminalize fare evasion on Metro, a top financial drain for the beleaguered transit agency. Bowser said the bill, which passed in December, “leaves WMATA without any meaningful tools to enforce the payment of fares.”
However, Ward 2 Councilman and Metro Board Chair Jack Evans told WUSA9 that Bowser's veto might not stop the bill from passing. As one of only two council members who voted against on the bill, Evans says a two-thirds veto override vote is likely.
“We would have to find three more votes and I’m not sure who that is,” said Evans. “I think this sends a message that it’s okay to not pay your Metro fare.”
Fare evasion—the act of jumping Metro turnstiles or refusing to pay bus fare— is costing Metro millions. The transit agency estimates that it is losing $25 million in revenue each year from those who don’t pay the fare on Metrobus alone.
Last summer, WUSA9 watched for Metrorail fare evaders at Gallery Place Metro. Over a 20 minute period, we saw riders skip the fare gate 10 times.
The DC Council bill that passed in December would turn a $300 criminal fine into a $50 civil penalty. The change was expected to go into effect sometime this year. It would have no impact in Maryland or Virginia.
Proponents of decriminalization analyzed more than 30,000 citations given over a 25 month period and insist enforcement highlights a racial disparity. The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights found more than 90 percent of those cited for fare evasion were black.
Metro has proposed working with the District to provide subsidized fare cards to low-income residents.
Board members also stress the unintended benefits of fare evasion stops. Metro officials said while eight percent of fare evasion stops result in an arrest, 356 wanted criminals out on open warrants have been arrested in the last year.
