With fare evasion costing the transit system $140 million yearly, the Toronto Transit Commision (TTC) is trying out a new strategy.
Some fare inspection officers will now wear plain clothing while they roam streetcars and subway cars, adding an “element of surprise.”
All plain clothes inspectors will carry identification on them and come dressed with body-worn cameras to record customer interactions.
While Senior Communications Strategist Stuart Green says this move will protect revenue riders and encourage commuters to pay their fare, critics say it’s “ripe for abuse.”
TTC Riders is a transit users advocacy group. Its Executive Director Shelagh Pizey-Allen says it’ll only “fuel conflict” and make transit-users feel unsure or distrustful. She also raises concerns over racial bias and the use of unnecessary force, as Black and Indigenous people have been disproportionately represented in TTC enforcement incidents in the past.
CJTM News explores whether or not the city will be better off with this new move to bring down fare evasion rates.
