Criminal activities persistently decrease on SEPTA transportation services
In a bid to combat revenue loss and ensure the safety and security of its customers and employees, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has stepped up its efforts against fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses.
SEPTA's approach to combatting fare evasion involves deterrence, enforcement, and education. The focus on fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses by the SEPTA Transit Police Department is showing significant progress, with a 27 percent increase in overall enforcement compared to the first quarter of 2024.
The implementation of full-length fare gates at the 69th Street Transportation Center has proven effective, reducing fare evasion by 20%. This success has prompted SEPTA to expand the program, with plans to install full-length fare gates at nine additional stations soon. The transit authority has also approved the purchase of 100 more fare gates, reflecting a broader commitment to improving security and fare collection across the system.
While the report does not explicitly state a direct causal link between fare gates and crime reduction, the SEPTA Transit Police Department's report noted that they have continued to implement new strategies to reduce serious crimes on their transit systems. New data-driven deployment strategies for the police force appear to be contributing to the overall drop in serious crime, with a decrease in seven of eight categories over the first six months of 2025.
Fare evasion is a significant financial drain, costing SEPTA an estimated $30 million to $40 million annually. By piloting advanced fare gate solutions—such as 3D technology at 69th Street—SEPTA aims to further track and deter fare evasion, directly addressing this revenue loss.
SEPTA's enforcement efforts against fare evasion include regular patrols, data-driven deployment strategies, and educational initiatives such as fare enforcement blitzes and new signage. The SEPTA Transit Police Chief, Chuck Lawson, stated that increasing enforcement of fare evasion leads to lower rates of crime and disorder on the system.
Customer reports to the SEPTA Transit Watch App over fare evasion declined 46.7 percent, and customer reports of smoking declined 13.6 percent. A total of 1,189 tickets were issued for smoking in the first half of 2025, a six percent increase, and 4,366 citations for fare evasion were issued, marking a 74 percent increase over the same period in 2024.
Despite these financial pressures, transit policing remains a priority for SEPTA leadership. Scott A. Sauer, SEPTA General Manager, stated that the SEPTA Transit Police Department's efforts to bolster staffing and implement innovative enforcement strategies are yielding great results. The focus on fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses comes amid a $213 million budget shortfall, highlighting the urgency of recovering lost revenue through both technological and enforcement measures.
The full crime report for the first half of 2025 is available on SEPTA's website. The report follows a record-setting annual crime reduction of 33 percent in 2024.
[1] SEPTA's most recent crime report [2] Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) press release, date unknown [3] SEPTA Transit Police Department report, first half of 2025 [4] SEPTA's 2025 budget report, date unknown
- The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is planning to install full-length fare gates at nine additional stations, following the success of the fare gate program at the 69th Street Transportation Center that reduced fare evasion by 20%.
- In a policy-and-legislation update, SEPTA has approved the purchase of 100 more fare gates, reflecting a broader commitment to improving security and fare collection across its system, while also aiming to further track and deter fare evasion with advanced fare gate solutions.
- In general-news, SEPTA Transit Police Department's efforts to bolster staffing and implement innovative enforcement strategies have led to a 74 percent increase in citations for fare evasion, along with a 27 percent increase in overall enforcement compared to the first quarter of 2024.
- In the realm of crime-and-justice, while the SEPTA Transit Police Department's report does not explicitly state a direct causal link between fare gates and crime reduction, new data-driven deployment strategies appear to be contributing to the overall drop in serious crime, with a decrease in seven of eight categories over the first six months of 2025.
