Los Angeles Metro Needs to Enforce the Fare
The Los Angeles Metro System Is Not Safe. How About We Start Enforcing the Fare?
3/12/2026
The Los Angeles Metro stopped collecting fares during the COVID lockdowns. According to Metro’s own internal estimates, 46% of boardings are now unpaid. This has resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue and contributed to a system that is less safe.
The majority of crimes on Metro are committed by individuals who enter the system without paying. Illegal drug use and other antisocial behavior affect the daily experience of riders across the network and would be curbed by fare enforcement.
The San Francisco BART system recently installed new, taller fare gates, which have significantly improved safety, increased fare compliance, and reduced maintenance costs.
https://x.com/SFBART/status/2020952977180328184
Eliminating fares is not economic justice. The real injustice is when taxpayers subsidize a system they don't feel safe to use.
LA County is building out a world class network but it is not operating like one. Los Angeles METRO should enforce fares and install taller fare gates systemwide to improve safety, improve service and restore confidence in the transit system.
