BART is planning to spend $800,000 next year to hire a team of six full-time fare inspectors to roam the line and hunt down fare cheats who supposedly are costing the ailing rail line millions of dollars a year in lost revenue.

“This is not just about saving money — it’s a cultural thing,” said BART spokesman Jim Allison. “We rely on people who are honest to help pay our operating costs.”

And just to make sure passengers are honest, the six inspectors will randomly check passengers for Clipper cards and tickets to see if they were swiped at the station fare gates.

The fare inspectors and a new, $64,000-a-year-plus clerical worker to help them are among measures rolled out by BART staff to deal with a $31 million budget deficit next year.

BART officials declined to tell us just how much revenue they think they’re losing from fare cheats, but will make their estimate public at a Board of Directors committee meeting Tuesday.

However, Allison said BART could recoup between $7 million and $11 million next year if the deterrent program — aimed mostly at San Francisco’s Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell and Civic Center stations — goes forward.

In addition to hiring roving fare inspectors — at $52,000 to $63,000 a year — BART plans to spend $1.9 million to raise some turnstiles — making them harder to leap over — and to eliminate swinging gates not directly next to the station agent booths.

BART also may restrict the use of elevators that allow riders to to bypass the fare gates altogether.

The full cost of the fare-cheat posse is still up in the air. For instance, the squad will need handheld devices — which are still being developed by BART staff — to scan Clipper cards and paper tickets to determine if customers actually paid.

As for the penalties? They’re already set by the state — averaging $100 per violation but reaching as high as $250.

S an Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@ sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross