Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card

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Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by New Flyer #857 on Wed Jul 22 15:39:20 2026 I finally had my first experience with fare inspection since starting to use my phone to pay fare. I learned that the inspectors have no problem scanning the physical OMNY cards or the unlocked phones with their digital wallets activated. But having used Express Transit Pay I learned that unfortunately you cannot just touch your unlocked phone to the inspector’s reader as nothing happens. When I told him what I did I offered to pull up the related card on my digital wallet (not knowing if it would work or not) but as I started to do so he just saw in my transactions that fare was paid not too long ago and so I was good. So I know I can’t “express-style” an inspection but I still don’t know for sure if pulling up the payment method for scanning would give the inspector the all clear.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by New Flyer #857* on Wed Jul 22 15:41:04 2026, in response to Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Wed Jul 22 15:39:20 2026.* I learned that unfortunately you cannot just touch your unlocked phone to the inspector’s reader as nothing happens That should read “locked” phone.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by terRAPIN station* on Wed Jul 22 21:41:15 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Wed Jul 22 15:41:04 2026.* Thanks for the report.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by Stephen Bauman* on Thu Jul 23 07:21:04 2026, in response to Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Wed Jul 22 15:39:20 2026.* Did you observe how they handled passengers who paid by cash?
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by New Flyer #857* on Thu Jul 23 10:44:49 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by Stephen Bauman on Thu Jul 23 07:21:04 2026.* It was an SBS inspection. Those passengers should have had a paper receipt from the curbside machines (but I didn't notice anybody who used paper on this particular inspection). My top complaint in all of this is that the bus has to freeze in position during the inspections. I don't know why they can't do this while the bus is in motion. Just get off at the next stop and go back. Also, nobody can try to leave while in between stops. In this case it was a fairly full bus and I think it was 4 inspectors with 2 guarding the doors, and 2 walking the vehicle, making the whole process take about 2 or 2.5 minutes, but that's still a big cut into whatever time savings SBS provides. Later on if we get systemwide POP and they do an inspection on a quiet bus with 6 or 7 people on it, then it won't matter much.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by gbs* on Thu Jul 23 19:45:46 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Jul 23 10:44:49 2026.* What I used to see on the Q44SBS was, when a passenger couldn't provide proof they paid (because they didn't), the inspector made them get off and pay at the machine, then get back on the bus with the receipt. I never saw anyone get a ticket. If that's what they still do, the smart thing is not pay, and if you get caught then pay, since there's no penalty or fine.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by Stephen Bauman* on Thu Jul 23 22:30:02 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Jul 23 10:44:49 2026.* It was an SBS inspection Thanks for the clarification. I read they would be inspecting regular buses for fare evasion. I thought this might have been such an instance. It would be interesting to see how the fare inspections would handle fares paid in cash for non-prepayment routes. Abolishing fare payment by cash is on the MTA's agenda.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by New Flyer #857* on Fri Jul 24 06:43:46 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by Stephen Bauman on Thu Jul 23 22:30:02 2026.* Cash will probably go away as an option. If, however, they kept it around, the farebox would probably issue a receipt to show to inspectors. Of course, even now regular buses can be inspected for fare evasion if they really wanted to. The inspector, already aboard the bus, observes someone getting on, bypassing the farebox and taking a seat. But that doesn't involve a special press release, new expensive infrastructure, or rebranding the bus, so it can't happen in NYC. For Switzerland's local transport (not talking about intercity rail), which is totally POP, the inspector(s) are plain-clothed and act just like passengers until the vehicle starts to move. Then they inspect as many as they can until the next stop where they go back to "ordinary passenger" appearance, even to the point of taking a seat. I've had 4 local-transport inspection experiences there now (over 3 trips totaling about 15 days) and I couldn't come up with any rhyme or reason for when to expect one. One was on a funicular, one was on a bus, and two were on trams. For one of the tram ones, it was evening and I was somewhat reverse-commuting (headed toward the city-center) and it was near the beginning of the run and it was the last thing I would have expected after all the transit I had already used that day without being inspected.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by Italianstallion* on Fri Jul 24 12:59:10 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Fri Jul 24 06:43:46 2026.* Cash will be gone some time this year.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by Italianstallion* on Fri Jul 24 12:59:45 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Fri Jul 24 06:43:46 2026.* Cash will be gone some time this year.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by Italianstallion* on Fri Jul 24 13:00:13 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by New Flyer #857 on Fri Jul 24 06:43:46 2026.* Of course there’s no rhyme or reason. It’s got to be random to be effective.
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Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card
Posted by B1bus* on Sat Jul 25 01:35:18 2026, in response to Re: Fare Inspection Experience after using Express Transit Card, posted by Italianstallion on Fri Jul 24 12:59:10 2026.* Aug 31st.
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