Didn't pay for the train? Calgary Transit ticketing fewer riders as it changes safety strategy

The number of tickets Calgary Transit officers write for scofflaws who don't pay to ride the bus or train has dropped dramatically over the past five years.

Peace officers issued roughly 4,000 fines last year — down from 15,000 in 2018, the year the transit agency set out to overhaul its system.

The change came because of the growing addiction and homelessness crisis, which was a problem on the transit system well before the COVID-19 pandemic, transit officials said.

It prompted them to rethink their approach.

"We recognize that a road forward to a more safe, customer-focused safety model … was not going to be achieved through just fare evasion enforcement alone," said Aaron Coon, the city's head of transit safety. 

"We had to be nimble and adapt."

Now, rather than checking fares on platforms and handing out tickets, peace officers are responding to riders' concerns and increasingly working alongside police and social workers.

"We're now taking about 50,000 calls for service a year, whereas historically it was never the primary focus of our role," Coon said.

Personal safety became a significant concern during the pandemic for many transit riders, in Calgary and across North America. Many people reported seeing an increase in social disorder and drug use, which made them feel unsafe. In some cases, it discouraged them from riding. 

There have also been high profile incidents, where riders have been threatened with an axe or attacked with knives.

New peace officers hired

Calgary Transit boosted the number of peace officers on the system, bringing on 28 new officers since last August to make a total 141.

Their new goal is to talk with people causing concern, understand why they're acting the way they are, and, if appropriate, connect them with support — a shelter, addiction treatment or health care. 

In cases of violence, they rely on a closer partnership with Calgary police. Peace officers and Calgary police now team up to patrol the LRT lines each night until 3 a.m. and say they've increased arrests and charges.

Calgary residents have been raising their concerns and asking questions through CBC Calgary's text messaging community.

Susan Gwynn, a mother who lives in the northeast and rides transit regularly, said she supports peace officers' shift toward providing resources instead of tickets.

"If you don't have four bucks to ride the train, you sure don't have $400 to pay the fine," she said. 

"Any person that has a position with the City of Calgary … should be able to offer those resources before they offer a ticket, because that's the right thing to do." 

'There has to be some deterrent'

Other riders who texted CBC Calgary's messaging line wondered if there are enough consequences for people who don't pay or cause a sense of disorder on the line. They wanted to know if people are still being banned from transit property. 

According to Coon, banning certain people is one of the tools peace officers have in dealing with those causing social disorder or breaking the law. But he couldn't provide numbers. 

The shift away from prioritizing fare evasion has happened even as city councillors debated installing turnstiles at LTR stations, which would close the train system to those who don't pay. 

Coun. Dan McLean, representing Ward 13, has been the main advocate of this plan, arguing it would improve the perception of safety and enforce payment. But city administrators say it would be expensive with little benefit.

When asked about the decrease in fare evasion tickets, McLean said he supports boosting the number of peace officers on the system and honing in on those causing the disorder. But he wants them to keep focused on ticketing those who don't pay, too.

"There should be enforcement, not turning a blind eye," he said. "If you want to get ridership up even more, you have to enforce it … there has to be some deterrent."

"You hear different issues about destination riders and non-destination riders. To me, there should only be one rider, and that's somebody getting on that train for a purpose, a destination … It's not meant to be a shelter or a warming place." 

Changes to the tickets themselves 

Another part of Calgary Transit's shifting approach to enforcement was the introduction of fare evasion tags in 2020, with options for reduced payment.

A fare evation ticket used to come with a $250 fine for everyone. Now, if a person gets a tag and pays it off in 15 days or less, it will cost them only $150. The fine jumps to $200 after that, and becomes a $250 violation with a court date after 45 days.

Riders issued a tag can also request an administrative review (outside the court system), where Calgary Transit can evaluate potentially mitigating circumstances. If the offender argues the payment will cause undue hardship, for example, a Calgary Transit staff member can cancel it.

All of that can be done online.

In addition, peace officers are giving out more warnings. Last year, they issued 3,000 warnings compared with roughly 3,600 tags. 

So who is getting these tags? 

A statement from the city said the current fare evasion strategy does not target vulnerable people, defined as "those with known mental health and/or addictions struggles, or those who are known to be without housing."