December 22, 2025 The MTA just declared war on fare evasion with a billion-dollar weapon, but the opening weekend at Broadway-Lafayette and 138th Street proved that New York commuters might be even more "creative" than the agency’s new Artificial Intelligence.
The New Fortress: Glass, Sensors, and Sirens
In a high-stakes rollout, the MTA unveiled a prototype "gate of the future." Gone are the clunky metal bars of the past, replaced by sleek, clear swinging doors. This isn't just a physical barrier; it’s a high-tech sentry equipped with:
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AI and Smart Sensors: Designed to distinguish between a paying rider, a wheelchair, and a piece of luggage.
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The "Foghorn" Alarm: A deafening, low-frequency blast designed to shame anyone who tries to slip through without tapping their OMNY or MetroCard.
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Enhanced Accessibility: Finally offering a seamless entrance for parents with strollers and riders with disabilities.
MTA officials are calling it "smart, secure, and accessible." But on the platform, the reality looks a bit different.
The "Slither" and the "Double-Up": Can AI Be Outsmarted?
Despite a $1.2 billion price tag attached to the full system-wide deployment, the "unbeatable" gates were bypassed within hours. On Sunday, commuters were spotted performing a variety of gymnastics to save $2.90:
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The Slither: Riders sliding flat on their bellies underneath the glass panels.
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The Double-Up: Two people rushing through on a single paid scan.
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The Climb: One daring individual scaled the top of the "secure" doors in plain sight—with nobody there to stop him.
While the agency admits no system is "100% immune," the sight of commuters outmaneuvering high-tech sensors suggests the MTA’s $1 billion loss in 2024 might not be easily recovered.
Glitches in the Matrix
It isn't just the fare-beaters causing headaches. Social media has already been flooded with videos of paying customers getting their backpacks caught in the swinging glass "jaws" of the new gates. While the MTA searches for the perfect vendor to outfit all 472 stations by 2026, these early hiccups are raising eyebrows.
