Most weekday mornings on Boston’s Green Line, numerous riders board trains through back doors at above-ground stops without paying fares, raising concerns about the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) ability to collect revenue on one of its busiest lines.

Since summer 2024, the MBTA introduced a new contactless fare collection system, designed to speed boarding by allowing passengers to pay at back doors using mobile devices or contactless cards. Prior to this, most riders entered through front doors and paid fares with CharlieCards. However, a recent observation at several street-level stops on the D branch found that the vast majority of riders bypassed the fare boxes entirely, with some waiting passengers the exception.

The fare boxes, installed by San Diego-based Cubic Corporation, represent part of a nearly $1 billion modernization effort spread over a decade aimed at updating fare collection across the MBTA system. While the new system functions effectively at station entrances, experts and riders alike say it has not resolved fare evasion issues on Green Line above-ground stops.

“The system is supposed to make boarding faster, but in some ways we’re probably worse off,” said Chris Dempsey, cofounder of the urban planning firm Speck Dempsey and former Massachusetts assistant secretary of transportation. He noted that many longstanding Green Line riders have remarked on the prevalence of fare evasion, questioning whether paying fares has become optional.

Some riders argue confusion contributes to missed payments. Austin T., who recently moved to Boston from Eastern Europe and was among the few observed paying at a surface stop, suggested some people might not understand the new system or try to pay with older CharlieCards that fare boxes no longer read. Others contend the reluctance to pay reflects willful disregard for the rules, especially given widespread familiarity with contactless payments.

The MBTA estimates fare evasion costs the agency between $25 million and $30 million annually. The authority has seen some success in reducing losses through fare gates at enclosed stations, such as South Station for commuter rail passengers. However, installing similar physical barriers at outdoor Green Line stops presents significant engineering challenges due to weather exposure and cost constraints, making a reliance on an honor system unavoidable.

Joshua Schank, a partner at the transit consulting firm InfraStrategies in Los Angeles, said that the honor system’s effectiveness depends heavily on cultural norms and enforcement practices. While sustained payment compliance occurs in places like Switzerland, where heavy fines and a national database deter evasion, Boston’s approach remains less stringent. The MBTA currently issues written warnings for first offenses and fines up to $100 after multiple violations. Between August 2025 and April 2026, the agency reported issuing 104 warnings but no citations, and employs just 16 fare enforcement staff across the entire system.

MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan acknowledged the ongoing issue but emphasized the difficulty of immediately imposing strict enforcement. “It’s a balance,” he said, noting the agency’s goal to rebuild ridership after the pandemic and the importance of allowing passengers time to adjust to the new fare readers.

As fare evasion persists, questions remain about how the MBTA can improve fare compliance without compromising accessibility or public goodwill. With substantial investments made in modernizing fare collection, transit advocates and experts suggest more robust enforcement and system refinements may be necessary to recoup lost revenue and sustain service quality on the Green Line.