New York MTA Installs ‘Smart’ Fare Gates to Stop Turnstile Hoppers

New fare gates use sensors and higher panels to prevent people from passing without paying, but the tech had a “bumpy rollout” on its first day.

1 minute read

December 21, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


New fare gates with clear panels with people standing behind them in NYC subway station.

Cubic / MTA / Modern fare gates

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has installed new fare gates at three subway stations in an effort to reduce fare evasion, reports Jaysha Patel for WABC.

The new gates use special sensors to detect people and objects and attempt to stop people who do not pay with clear closing panels. The gates are also designed to make it easier for people in wheelchairs or pushing strollers to pass through. “In the coming days, the gates will be rolled out to 20 stations, but eventually they will be at 150 stations.” 

A New York Times article points out that the new gates had a “bumpy rollout” on their first morning, with at least one passenger able to push through without paying and one gate swinging closed onto a woman’s neck for several seconds. The city allocated over $1 billion to replacing old turnstiles with the new fare gates. The Citizens Budget Commission estimates the agency will save about $100 million in fare evasion losses in 2025. 

Friday, December 19, 2025 in WABC

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