Sound Transit's 'Sophie's Choice': Bleed to death or start requiring fares from riders

Key Points:

• Sound Transit is facing a $34 billion budget shortfall and is considering service cuts and station eliminations, while also exploring ways to increase fare compliance among riders.
• Fare compliance has dropped significantly from over 90% in the 2010s to about 61% in 2024, partly due to free rides for those under 19 and reduced fare enforcement after the removal of fare enforcement officers.
• The agency is considering a pilot project to install fare gates at five busy stations to encourage fare payment, as current fare ambassadors are seen as ineffective in enforcing payments.
• Sound Transit originally aimed for 40% of funding from fares but now only collects about 12%, prompting board members like Claudia Balducci to advocate for increased fare compliance to help stabilize funding.
• Physical constraints, such as many tracks being at street level, have historically limited the installation of turnstiles, but the agency must decide whether to enforce fares more strictly or continue facing financial losses.