TTC deploys plainclothes inspectors to crack down on fare evasion
Approach was previously tested in 2018
The Toronto Transit Commission said Wednesday fare inspectors in plain clothes are now patrolling the system and issuing tickets as part of its efforts to curb fare evasion — a move that's already catching some transit riders off guard.
CBC News journalist Julie Zenderoudi was riding the 511 streetcar on Bathurst Street and encountered a group of three of the inspectors on Thursday morning.
The men, Zenderoudi said, declared themselves to be TTC fare inspectors and started tapping people's cards for proof of payment.
"This led to significant confusion among commuters," Zenderoudi said.
The inspectors were wearing badges and Axon body-worn cameras under their winter jackets. Here's a picture of one of them, so you can get a sense of what to expect:
Transit advocacy group TTCriders said in a statement Thursday that this kind of fare enforcement would make the transit system less welcoming and more susceptible to scams.
"Does the TTC really expect transit riders to hand over their credit and debit cards to strangers claiming to be fare inspectors?" the group said in the statement. "Plain clothes fare inspection is a mistake that will fuel conflict and an environment of mistrust that could be abused."
The group recommended that instead of trying to "catch" people who don't pay, the TTC could hire streetcar "greeters" to welcome people onboard and monitor tapping.
The transit agency says the move was previously tested in 2018 and re-introduced three weeks ago, with plainclothes inspectors initially "educating" those who didn't pay for a ride. All plainclothes inspectors will carry ID and will be equipped with body-worn cameras, the agency says.
It says the approach is part of a crackdown to protect some of the $140 million lost to fare evasion every year.
The agency says fines range from $235 to $425 depending on the nature of the evasion, but that the money goes to the courts and not to the TTC.
TTC CEO Greg Percy says in a statement that while the agency receives "considerable" operating funds from the city, it relies heavily on fares for its operations.
With files from CBC News