With $46 Million Price Tag, MTA Turnstiles Remain Unlocked

As Los Angeles MTA's plan to fully implement its TAP card program stalls, so does the plan to lock the turnstiles that the agency had installed to deter riders from not paying.

1 minute read

August 27, 2010, 6:00 AM PDT

By Judy Chang


"Originally, Metro estimated it would save $3 million to $6 million annually using locking turnstiles and up to $7 million a year on reduced fare inspector costs. Metro officials said they had found a 5 percent fare evasion rate across all the rail lines and they expected the new system to pay for itself in four years.

In 2008, the Metro board approved a 10-year, $46 million lease contract with Cubic Transportation Systems Inc. to install the locking gates – similar to those in use in most other big-city systems, like New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Currently they operate as unlocked turnstiles, but the goal of having them lock to prevent fare evasion remains far off, officials acknowledge. That means Metro will likely have to spend more money for attendants to man the stations.

Raymond said one of the main obstacles to converting to the TAP system has been getting the county's 16 municipal bus operators and Metrolink to agree to use the TAP cards."

Saturday, August 21, 2010 in LA Daily News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight