Fare Evaders, Beware: Your Information Is Being Circulated; Your License Is Being Suspended

The MBTA is getting serious about its budget shortfall, enforcing payment of fares like never before. Fare evasion citations have skyrocketed this year, with 603 citations issued in the first quarter of 2009. Compare that with 277 citations in the first quarter of 2008 and 117 in the first quarter of 2007, or 1391 citations in all of 2008 and 818 citations in all of 2007. We're on track for 2400 citations this year, which is at least $36,000 in fines (or more: the fines escalate quickly, from $15 to $100 to $250)—assuming people actually pay them.

We just got an email with the names of 181 MBTA fare and citation evaders (that's $2715 in missing fines, not to mention $362 in lost fares!) whose information has also been released to the RMV for suspension of their driver's licenses. This punishment seems a bit odd to us: if you can't afford your T fare, you probably can't afford a car, so we're not sure how suspending the driver's license is an effective deterrent. Still, maybe posting the names on the internet would be. Should we post the names,or would that be too trashy? You tell us.