
Following years of local advocacy, as well as heightened scrutiny around enforcement practices by the movement for black lives, Sound Transit has announced a new approach to fare enforcement on public transit: the fare ambassador pilot program. The program will start in 2021 and represents a big move away from enforcement and punitive systems that disproportionately impact BIPOC communities, people experiencing homelessness, and people with low incomes. The fare ambassador program is a critical step for access and safety for all riders.
The pilot will replace fare enforcement officers with fare ambassadors who will focus on distributing educational resources. In addition, the fare ambassador pilot program will:
- Decouple security from fare engagement, by utilizing Sound Transit staff instead of an outside security contractor; this allows the agency to control priorities, training, and management
- Issue more warnings and fewer infractions when a rider doesn’t present a paid fare
- Continue to explore reduced fine options
- Suspend escalation to law enforcement for fare issues alone, allowing fare evasion to stay out of the court system
- Engage community further on key elements of pilot program and policy, prioritizing BIPOC voices