WASHINGTON — Editor's Note: The video above was published on Oct. 5.
One Metro official took time Thursday to clear up a rumor regarding D.C. students being cited during the Metro's fare evasion enforcement period.
Metro Transit Police (MTPD) began issuing fare evasion citations on Nov. 1. Metro spent the last month raising awareness and hosting a warning campaign for passengers regarding fare enforcement.
Citations are being handed out to anyone jumping fare gates, improperly using emergency gates, or not tapping fare boxes on Metrobuses.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) General Manager Randy Clarke took to Twitter to clarify that zero tickets have been issued in D.C. after one user claimed to have heard their son's classmate received a ticket for not having his Kids Ride Free (KRF) card.
The KRF card allows students to ride for free on Metrobus, Metrorail, and the DC Circulator. Those eligible must live in DC, be 5 to 21 years old and be enrolled in an elementary or secondary public, charter, private or parochial school located within the District or youth in the care of the District.
The Twitter user claims the citation given to their son's classmate may have been for $100 but wasn't sure of the exact fine amount.
Another user replied to the original tweet, tagging WMATA GM Randy Clarke and Mayor Muriel Bower and asking officials to ensure kids won't be fined on the way to or from school.
"Our transit system *is* our school bus system in DC," Caitlin Rogger wrote on Twitter.
The thread reached Clarke who confirmed that zero citations have been issued in the District and that while around 100 adults have exited stations that wouldn't pay the fare, no juveniles have been ticketed.
"Our station or police staff will ensure kids are getting in and out of stations/buses to get to schools-home," tweeted Clarke.
Fare evasion causes significant revenue loss for WMATA. The agency claims in 2022 it lost $40 million or 22% of the total upcoming budget gap.
"Using data from Metrobus and pre-pandemic industry averages for Metrorail, Metro estimates revenue losses due to fare evasion totaling tens of millions of dollars in fiscal year 2022," said WMATA in a release.
WMATA claims that people who neglect to pay fares may receive fines for fare evasion in each jurisdiction. According to the WMATA website, possible fines include $50 in D.C. and up to $100 in Virginia and Maryland.
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