New York City's subway turnstiles are getting a high-tech makeover as three companies vying for a $1.1 billion contract to redesign the fare gates aim to crack down on fare evasion once and for all.
The new gates, which boast tall doors instead of traditional waist-high turnstiles, have been installed at 10 subway stations over the past two months in a pilot program. MTA Chair Janno Lieber plans to expand this program to 20 different stations "in the coming weeks," citing the need for modern technology that can track fare evaders.
Cubic, the company behind the now-retired MetroCard system and the existing OMNY tap-to-pay system, has installed its own new fare gates at these stations. However, their experience with the rollout of OMNY has been marred by delays and bugs, earning them criticism from both MTA officials and straphangers.
Despite this, Cubic's director of business development Anthony Louh claims that these setbacks have actually prepared his team to tackle the massive redesign contract. The new gates feature surveillance technology that captures a five-second clip when someone evades their fare, which then uses artificial intelligence to create a physical description of the suspected offender.
However, not all companies are confident in their AI-powered solutions. Conduent has installed its own modern fare gates at Philadelphia's subway system and claims it also employs AI technology through sensors that collect data on riders who evade their fares.
Meanwhile, STraffic has not yet commented on its proposals, but the MTA aims to deploy these new entry points across 150 of the subway's 472 stations. The agency is also exploring other ways to integrate AI technology into the subways, including software designed to detect "problematic behavior" among riders.
As the competition for this lucrative contract heats up, one thing is clear: New York City's subway system will be getting a modern makeover that promises to keep track of fare evaders with unprecedented precision.
The new gates, which boast tall doors instead of traditional waist-high turnstiles, have been installed at 10 subway stations over the past two months in a pilot program. MTA Chair Janno Lieber plans to expand this program to 20 different stations "in the coming weeks," citing the need for modern technology that can track fare evaders.
Cubic, the company behind the now-retired MetroCard system and the existing OMNY tap-to-pay system, has installed its own new fare gates at these stations. However, their experience with the rollout of OMNY has been marred by delays and bugs, earning them criticism from both MTA officials and straphangers.
Despite this, Cubic's director of business development Anthony Louh claims that these setbacks have actually prepared his team to tackle the massive redesign contract. The new gates feature surveillance technology that captures a five-second clip when someone evades their fare, which then uses artificial intelligence to create a physical description of the suspected offender.
However, not all companies are confident in their AI-powered solutions. Conduent has installed its own modern fare gates at Philadelphia's subway system and claims it also employs AI technology through sensors that collect data on riders who evade their fares.
Meanwhile, STraffic has not yet commented on its proposals, but the MTA aims to deploy these new entry points across 150 of the subway's 472 stations. The agency is also exploring other ways to integrate AI technology into the subways, including software designed to detect "problematic behavior" among riders.
As the competition for this lucrative contract heats up, one thing is clear: New York City's subway system will be getting a modern makeover that promises to keep track of fare evaders with unprecedented precision.
I'm telling you, something fishy is going on here. They're installing these new gates and surveillance technology just to crack down on fare evasion? It sounds like they're trying to monitor us even more than we already are 
. What's really going on with Cubic's tech? I mean, if it's so reliable, why did their OMNY system fail in the first place? 
And what about Conduent's AI-powered sensors? Are they just trying to sell us something we don't need? 
I'm not buying it. There's gotta be more to this story than meets the eye... 
I wonder if this AI tech will be able to distinguish between a deliberate evader and someone who genuinely lost their cash or had it stolen. 
! It's crazy how they're using AI to track down people who try to cheat the system. I mean, it's like having a superpower that can catch fare evaders and identify them too! 
The idea of getting a 5-second clip of someone trying to scam their way in is pretty wild.
. But seriously, $1.1 billion for a new fare system? That's like buying a whole bunch of pizza pies for the entire city 
. And these AI-powered gates that can track you down if you try to evade your fare? That's like having a personal superhero sidekick watching over you 24/7 
. Just hope they don't start tracking our snack purchases too... I mean, who hasn't sneaked an extra bagel on the subway 
.
... it was so much fun! We had an arcade night and played some classic games, it was hilarious watching adults having so much fun being silly again 
. But for real though, 150 stations is a big deal! I wonder if they'll implement some kind of rewards system for riders who pay their fares on time... that would be super cool 
. Oh, wait, what was the question again?
. Still, I gotta give props to Cubic and Conduent for trying out new solutions. Fingers crossed they get it right this time! 