Green Line fare checks are more visible, but few riders have been cited. Where the council's fare items stand

Riders on the Green Line say they are seeing more MBTA fare checkers in recent weeks, but on the above-ground branches many people still board without paying, GBH News reported. For Boston riders, the issue touches the T's budget at a time when the city is deciding how to keep three bus routes free.

What GBH found

• The program. The MBTA began placing "fare engagement representatives" on the Green Line in October 2024 to get riders who had been riding free to pay. In September 2025 they began issuing citations and fines instead of only warnings.
• The numbers. Public records shared with MassLive showed 200 formal warnings and three citations system-wide from September 2025 on, GBH reported. The MBTA says it has issued 62 more warnings since, for 262 in all.
• The branches. The above-ground B, C and D branches have no fare gates and rely on an honor system. On B and D branch trips on a Tuesday, GBH reporters at Blandford Street and BU Central saw no riders pay when boarding at the rear of trolleys.
• The cost. The MBTA loses an estimated $25 million to $30 million a year to fare evasion, according to a Boston Globe opinion piece cited by GBH.

MBTA spokesperson Maya Bingeman thanked riders who pay and said staff can help riders unsure how to pay, according to GBH. The agency said the representatives' presence has led to "higher engagement rates." GBH reported that the MBTA offers 11% discounted college semester passes and discounted CharlieCards for middle and high school students.

What our records add

The MBTA is a state agency, and the City Council has no vote on its fares. But the council has acted on fares and transit access several times this year:

• Fare-free buses. The city and the MBTA extended free fares on the 23, 28 and 29 bus routes through the end of 2026, according to a city announcement. The council adopted City Councilor Enrique Pepén's resolution urging continued funding for the fare-free bus program on Feb. 25 (docket 0425). City Councilor Miniard Culpepper's order for a hearing on options to extend and fund those routes (docket 0471) has been in the Planning, Development and Transportation Committee for 242 days. The city has not said what happens in January, as we reported.
• Transit equity. Culpepper's order for a hearing on the civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities (docket 1340) is set for a hearing Friday, Nov. 6. The council voted to summon MBTA General Manager Phil Eng to that hearing; whether he will appear is still open.
• School transportation. The council's Education Committee holds a hearing Monday, Nov. 2, on BPS transportation performance this fall and contractor accountability (docket 1920; our preview).

What's next

Monday's BPS transportation hearing is at 2 p.m. in the Iannella Chamber (notice). The Nov. 6 transit hearing is posted on the city's public notices.