NYC's Eagle Team cracking down on fare evasion on buses

NEW YORK -- The MTA and NYPD are ramping up their enforcement of fare evasion on New York City buses .

In some cases on Thursday, undercover transit officers witnessed bus riders who didn't pay and issued summonses.

CBS News New York went to the Fordham and Grand Concourse bus stop in the Bronx. For those getting on, it was very obvious that it was not the day to skip the fare. Some riders getting off the buses were pulled aside if they didn't pay.

The role of the Eagle Team

The enforcement is being carried out by members of the city's Eagle Team. There are only 200 members currently, according to the MTA. They are increasingly responsible for issuing summonses, either in plain clothes or in uniform, to hundreds of thousands of daily bus riders.

On Thursday, one undercover officer asked a woman if she had identification and then issued one of many summonses reporter Doug Williams witnessed, and later, a woman appeared to try to pay, but didn't and was escorted out.

If a rider is wanted for any prior criminal history, they can be taken into custody once they provide identification while being written up for a ticket.

"Bus drivers are not encouraged to be the enforcers and I totally understand that," rider Sherrill Fay said. "Making an effort for enforcement is beneficial for everybody."

"I don't say anything because I'm worried about my personal safety, but I get very annoyed," rider Susan Tilson said of fare evaders.

Transit officers also passed out fliers to inform the public of the ramped-up efforts. The goal is to curb what officials say has become an alarming problem.

Fare evasion has become a city-wide epidemic

Every single day, close to 1 million riders -- 48% -- board without paying the fare.

"Isn't that interesting it might take some time for people to realize they have to pay their fare, either to enter the subway system or, in this case, New York City buses lawfully, legally," NYPD Chief of Transit Michael Kemper said.

And then there's the budget issue.

The MTA must propose a new capital budget next month that will have to deal with an aging fleet of 1,500 rail cars are already past their 40-year limit, 4,000 more cars that will need to be replaced in the next 20 years, and nearly 6,000 buses that will have to be replaced by 2044.

"I work around here and I've never seen anyone pay for the 1 bus or the 2," one person said.

"Nobody enters through the front door, especially in this bus," another said.

One woman said it doesn't really bother her when people don't pay, adding, "Sometimes I have [money], sometimes I don't."