Fare evasion: How are unarmed gate guards stopping cheaters in the NYC subways – and are they effective?

The MTA started deploying unarmed gate guards across New York City’s expansive subway system in 2022 in an effort to shut down a “superhighway of fare evasion” — emergency exit gates.

Since then, the agency has expanded the program as part of a broader effort to enhance safety and deter turnstile-jumpers, which costs the agency around $800 million a year.