NEW YORK CITY: After decades covering New York’s ebbs and flows, this latest attempt by the MTA to stem farebeating feels like déjà vu. The spiked metal railings unveiled at the 59th Street/Lexington stop are another desperate bid to reclaim control over a transit system hemorrhaging revenue and credibility. They look like props from a dystopian movie—“Blade Runner” meets “Brazil”—but the problem they’re meant to address is no laughing matter.
Let’s call it what it is: The MTA isn’t the villain here. The real blame lies with New York’s pro-crime political class, which has effectively decriminalized farebeating, starting with former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance’s 2017 decision to stop prosecuting most cases. This soft-on-crime mentality has enabled a culture of lawlessness that bleeds the MTA of hundreds of millions annually and accelerates the decline of our public spaces.
Desperation Measures in a Broken System
These new railings are the latest in a series of half-baked ideas. Remember the 2023 turnstile models that were supposed to revolutionize fare enforcement but instead turned into cheat magnets? The railings might slow down a few farebeaters, but they’re a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
The truth is, farebeating isn’t just an economic issue; it’s a societal one. Every turnstile jumper sends a message: The rules don’t matter. When regular New Yorkers see others riding for free, it breeds resentment and erodes faith in the system. Worse, unchecked farebeating fosters an environment where bigger crimes thrive.
We’ve seen this play out before. Enforcing fare payment isn’t just about collecting revenue; it’s about maintaining order. History shows that cracking down on farebeating often keeps violent criminals out of the system. It’s a simple principle: Address the small infractions, and you prevent larger ones. Ignore them, and you invite chaos.
The Consequences of Tolerance
And chaos is exactly what we’ve gotten. The subway, once a symbol of New York’s grit and resilience, now struggles under the weight of rising crime. Murders in the system are at historic highs. Illegal immigrants torch homeless individuals in their sleep. Repeat offenders with mile-long rap sheets shove innocent straphangers onto the tracks. These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re the inevitable outcome of a culture that shrugs off lawbreaking.
No amount of spiked railings, high-tech turnstiles, or futuristic gadgets will fix this. The solution isn’t in the hardware; it’s in the enforcement. That means putting cops in the stations and backing them up with policies that prioritize public safety over political correctness.
A Leadership Vacuum
Unfortunately, too many of New York’s elected officials are allergic to accountability. They prefer to tinker at the edges with flashy, feel-good solutions rather than confront the hard truths about crime and punishment. Their reluctance to enforce basic laws leaves the MTA scrambling to patch holes in a sinking ship.
The bottom line is clear: You don’t solve farebeating—or the broader issues it represents—with gimmicks. It takes real leadership, the kind that’s willing to make unpopular decisions in the name of safety and order. Until New York’s leaders rediscover that backbone, the city’s transit system—and the social fabric it supports—will continue to unravel.
