Three companies are competing for a $1.1 billion contract to redesign New York City’s subway turnstiles, which have long faced issues with fare evasion. Over the past two months, they have installed new ticket gate designs in ten subway stations as part of a pilot program, which will expand to twenty stations soon, according to MTA Chairman Jano Lieber.
At least two companies are integrating artificial intelligence into their designs to monitor fare evaders. Cubic, which designed the previous MetroCard system and the current turnstiles, is facing criticism from MTA officials due to issues with the OMNY tap-to-pay system it also developed. Despite these challenges, MTA still values Cubic’s expertise.
Cubic is testing its new gates at major stations, equipped with surveillance tech that alerts the system when someone evades the fare. These gates record footage and use AI to identify fare violators, sending information to the MTA.
Two other competitors, Conduent and STraffic, are also testing their modern turnstiles, with Conduent having previously installed similar systems in Philadelphia. The MTA plans to review the pilot program results before selecting a vendor for a broader installation, aiming to update entrances and exits at 150 of the 472 subway stations. They are also exploring additional AI applications to enhance subway operations.
Source link
