SDMTS Board of Directors approves modifications to Fare Enforcement Diversion Program

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (SDMTS) Board of Directors approved modifications to the agency's Fare Enforcement Diversion Program on Oct. 17. The program changes will be phased in during the next three months, starting with educating riders about the new rules.  

Beginning Feb. 1, 2025, riders caught without a valid fare during SDMTS security inspections will be issued a citation immediately. SDMTS security will no longer offer a chance to buy a fare or validate fares on-the-spot. While the policy changes will be system-wide, the agency notes the majority of the changes will impact trolley riders. 

Once the change takes effect early next year, SDMTS notes riders will automatically receive a citation if they don’t have a valid fare while riding the trolley. A citation will result in a $25 fine if cleared through the MTS Diversion Program. If the citation is not cleared within 120 days, it may result in an estimated $192 fine or more in traffic court.  

SDMTS says riders with no previous citations will have the opportunity to have their first citation dismissed when they appeal through the Diversion Program. Riders also have the ability to appeal the citation directly to SDMTS in other select cases. 

In addition, the agency will introduce convenient online and phone payment options for citations, enhancing the ease of compliance for riders. Currently, the agency notes payment methods include checks mailed to the agency or in-person payments at the MTS Transit Store. The new online and phone payment options aim to streamline the process. 

SDMTS says a recent analysis of agency fare collection estimates the agency experienced a loss of $17 million to $23 million in fare revenue due to fare evasion from May 2022 to July 2024. The analysis also revealed that more than 57,000 riders per month are not paying their fares unless an on-the-spot payment is taken by an SDMTS security officer while the rider is already on board. The agency notes that since SDMTS security officers are not inspecting the fares of every rider on every trip, it has been costing the agency approximately $1 million per month in unpaid fares. The agency says it depends on recovering that lost revenue to keep service levels high and fares low for everyone.