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Metro wants to raise fares by about 11% to close a big budget hole. That idea comes from WMATA staff’s FY2028 “fare concepts” and Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke now admits that the 11.1% plan might not be enough. The real reason the budget is bleeding? Two words: bus fare evasion.
What Metro is proposing and why officials are worried
The staff packet lays out an inflation-based fare concept labeled “+11.1%.” Metro says that would push Metrorail fares to roughly $2.50–$7.50 and could bring in an extra $40–$45 million a year. Sounds useful until you read the fine print: staff expect the increase could cost the system about 8 million trips as riders balk at higher prices. Even with that, Metro leaders say there could still be a shortfall. Randy Clarke has said he’s weighing bigger fare hikes, service cuts, or asking local governments for more money. And the headline number driving the panic is this: roughly 64–69% of bus riders aren’t paying fares.
Why raising fares is the lazy answer
Raising fares on everyone so a large share of riders can ride free is a policy that punishes law‑abiding commuters. It’s simple math and common sense: when a majority of bus trips don’t pay, you don’t solve the problem by nickeling honest people. You either fix enforcement or face a slow death spiral of revenue loss and declining service. Metro has made progress on rail by installing taller fare gates, but buses are harder. Drivers can’t be frontline cops without putting their safety at risk, so the agency faces real operational limits — but that doesn’t mean shrugging and taxing everyone more.
Real solutions Metro should choose
If Metro wants to stop the rot, try enforcement and smart design before punishing riders. Fund more fare inspectors and EAGLE-style teams that can ticket and cite fare skippers. Expand off-board payment, proof-of-payment inspections, and targeted barriers on high-evasion routes. Invest in operator shields and cameras so drivers are safe when checking fares. Make repeat fare evasion a meaningful penalty — stiffer fines, community service, or criminal referral for serial offenders like in some overseas systems. And yes, ask the jurisdictions for emergency help tied to clear performance metrics: more money only if it buys stronger enforcement and better operations, not a blank check for more delays and excuses.
Wrap-up: stop rewarding lawbreaking
The 11.1% fare concept and the warnings from Metro’s CEO are real. The easy political answer is to hit honest riders in the wallet. The better answer is to stop rewarding lawbreaking and fix enforcement and system design. Voters and riders deserve transparency: if Metro wants more money, it should show how that cash will stop theft and restore service — not simply raise fares while watching freeloaders ride off into the sunset. If leaders won’t make freeloaders pay, they shouldn’t be surprised when everyone else pays the price.
