A three-month report on the progress of gate latching and the TAP fare media on the Red/Purple Line subway will be presented to a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) board committee Thursday, including preliminary data showing that more people are paying the proper fare, resulting in increased revenue for Metro.

Sixteen gates on the Red/Purple Line subway were latched between June 19 and August 5 this past summer.

“The increase in revenue during the study period indicates that passengers holding valid fare are tapping and riders who previously were not paying had bought TAP cards and fare or stopped using the Red/Purple Line subway altogether,” said David Sutton, Deputy Executive Officer. “Increased revenue to the Red/Purple Line may be as high as $6 million per year, which could offset additional costs of installing the system.”

Sutton stressed that while this is an encouraging sign, data from a three month sample isn’t enough to verify a trend in terms of more revenue or previous rates of fare evasion. “When latching is completed on the light rail system we will be able to compile a larger sample to help tell us the level of success of latching the gates,” Sutton said.

Gate latching at five Gold Line stations was completed on September 16. Latching is scheduled to be completed for six Blue Line stations by Dec. 9 and 14 Green Line stations by January 13, 2014.

Gate latching and the use of the TAP fare media are integral to the development of a seamless, regional transit network.

Metro, Metrolink, Access Services and nine municipal transit systems are currently on the TAP network. By the end of 2014, 26 operators will recognize TAP as fare media. TAP is the largest and most successful smartcard fare media in North America with 1.2 million passes sold monthly. TAP is used for 22 million boardings per month and is accepted on at least 3,800 buses in the region.

Like this: Like Loading...