I recently participated in a crucial Committee meeting discussing the potential installation of fare gates at our LRT entrances. While the initial conclusion might surprise some, the conversation unveiled valuable insights into transit safety, security, and efficiency that I'm eager to share with you.

Our discussion centered around three general threads:

1. How safe is our LRT system?
2. What is the public perception of LRT safety?
3. What is the actual level of fare evasion on the system?

Technical Challenges of Implementing Fare Gates

Contrary to what many might expect, fare gates at LRT entrances aren't a viable solution - at least not right now. Technical challenges exist that work against installing fare gates right now. The transit system still uses cash fares and paper transfers. Children under 12 can use the system for free, but don’t carry a card that would activate a gate. And we still have some paper products that are used for transit access. That means fare gates require attendants, and that drives the cost way up.

Ridership Data: A Critical Gap

City Administration does not have an accurate count of how many people use the LRT. One station a month gets a people count, and ridership is inferred from that. Because we don’t know how many are riding, we don’t know how many riders are not paying. So we don’t know how much revenue the City would recoup - there is no way to determine a cost-benefit analysis fare gates. Obviously we need to find a way to better count how many people are using the system.

Safety Perceptions vs. Reality

From a safety perspective, it was generally acknowledged that fare gates might improve the perception of safety, but might not actually improve safety (or even prevent much fare evasion). So much depends on the actual type of gate installed.

But it was generally agreed that more Transit Police Officers would be a benefit, as would providing more training and tools to those officers, so that they can more actively and visibly reduce disorder and improve the perception of safety. Further, it is possible to add some of those Transit Police Officers within existing budgets. 

Proposed Solutions and Next Steps

I support an increase in policing effort on the LRT system as a next step. And I look forward to a better conversation about the value of fare gates once we have a better understanding of ridership numbers. If the perception of safety improves and ridership can be measured and demonstrated to be increasing, then fare gates might not be worth the investment. And if things don’t improve, then we may have to revisit the installation of of fare gates.

Your Thoughts Matter

I'm committed to ensuring our LRT system is safe, efficient, and accessible for all. Your feedback and experiences are invaluable in this process.

Have you noticed any changes in LRT safety recently? What measures do you think would make you feel safer using the system?

Please don't hesitate to reach out with your thoughts or concerns. Together, we can work towards a public transit system that serves everyone's needs.

(Click here to read the report or visit the Urban Planning Committee meeting minutes to view related documents for agenda item 7.1.)