Video: TriMet GM Neil McFarlane Says Fare-Hopping is a Crime

NEIL MCFARLANE
By AARON MESH

When TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane stopped by WW's office last Thursday, we had to ask him about the stings.

Last year, as the regional transit agency ended its Free Rail Zone and increased fares, it also escalated its fare enforcement. TriMet began setting up corrals outside Timbers and Trail Blazers games, forcing passengers disembarking trains to show their tickets before being allowed to leave.

The fare is $2.50. The fine is $175. Critics of the agency have called the fare-enforcement events "predatory" and "gestapo tactics of fare collection."

In this video, we ask McFarlane for a justification.

WWeek 2015

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