This explosion of tension seemed inevitable.
During a heated session on Tuesday, MTA Commissioner Janno Lieber took aim at his agency for spending over $35 million on private security firms, whose guards were involved in dubious activities like opening emergency exits for toll violators.
This exchange took place while Lieber was addressing the Albany Transportation Department’s budget, and state Senator Mario Matera (R-Smithtown) pressed him on the contractor, Allied Universal Security Services.
Lieber countered Matera’s claim that the contractor hailed from Pennsylvania and tried to steer the conversation to other matters, but the lawmaker persisted.
“Let it end! Let it end!” shouted a witness named Reaver.
Unfazed, Matera continued, questioning, “Why are people steering clear of toll roads? It’s on tape.”
“Fare evasion is down 36%, mister,” Lieber reiterated with notable intensity.
The exchange between Lieber and Matera grew more combative until state Rep. J. Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), chairing the hearing, had to intervene, barking a commanding “shut up!”
Lieber’s exasperation stems from ongoing worries that the MTA isn’t adequately tackling fare evasion on its subways and buses. A recent analysis from the Citizens Budget Committee indicated the agency lost nearly $1 billion in 2024 due to fare evasion and other related fraud.
In response, MTA officials are mulling over a $1 million study aimed at understanding the psychology behind fare evasion, with deterrents like spikes, tall turnstiles, and locked exit gates being considered.
However, results have been mixed.
Private security guards were under surveillance in late 2022, but their effectiveness raised eyebrows after reports surfaced suggesting they ignored fare jumpers and, in some cases, even assisted them.
Lieber’s claim during the hearing that fare evasion decreased by 36% might be an exaggeration. MTA data reveals that while approximately 13.5% of subway riders bypassed turnstiles in late 2022, that rate fell to about 10.1% three years later, indicating a drop of nearly 3.4 points.
The situation appears more severe on buses, where about 49% of riders reportedly failed to pay in the last quarter of 2025.
Lieber expressed a desire for the fare evasion rate across the system to settle near 10%, noting that subway ridership statistics are currently below that figure.
“I believe subway ridership is below 10%,” he acknowledged, while recognizing that bus usage figures lag behind that target.
The agency, whose last budget prompted approval for a record $68.4 billion MTA capital project, was unable to provide solid fare evasion figures when pressed by lawmakers.
Instead, Lieber presented estimates from memory that seemed to downplay the fare evasion costs, at odds with the figures provided by the Citizens Budget Commission.
“I do the math in my head,” Lieber noted, asserting fare evasion had decreased significantly from previous levels, now sitting somewhere around $500 million to $700 million.
He admitted that fare evasion is a substantial challenge, yet the clash with Matera revealed his irritation over such criticisms. He mentioned that the security guard program currently costs less than $35 million but didn’t elaborate on that figure.
Pretlow encouraged both Lieber and Matera to maintain decorum after the heated exchange concluded with his own “shut up.”
“I respect that, but some responses have been inadequate,” Matera replied.
“I apologize as well,” Lieber added. “Please keep your voice down.”
Pretlow himself offered an apology, recognizing that the inquiry had veered off course for a moment before getting back on track.
MTA officials did not respond when asked for further clarification on Lieber’s remarks.
