Team created to catch fare dodgers

Shanghai's metro operator plans to create a team of 100 full-time employees this year who will specifically work to catch fare dodgers, the company said Thursday.

The new team will have the power to fine metro passengers who duck under turnstiles or otherwise try to avoid paying their fares, said Lan Tian, a press officer for Shanghai Shentong Metro Group.

Shao Weizhong, vice president of Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, told local media that the team's goal will be to more efficiently crack down on fare dodging.

About 2,000 metro employees have already been assigned to catch fare dodgers, though only on a part-time basis, according to a report in the Xinmin Evening News.

Typically, fare dodgers operate by sharing one ticket among multiple passengers or by ducking under or jumping over turnstiles.

The operator has recently seen a slight increase in the number of passengers who misuse free ride passes, such as those given to residents over the age of 75. Fare dodging is more common at transfer stations such as Zhongshan Park and Longyang Road stations, according to the report.

A regulation designed to stifle the practice, which took effect on January 1, instituted specific penalties for fare dodging. Passengers who don't pay their fares can be fined up to five times the price of the fare. Passengers who misuse free ride passes will face fines ranging from 50 yuan ($8.20) to 500 yuan. Those who misuse fake certificates that allow certain groups, such as the disabled, to ride the metro for free will be handed over to police.

The regulation also required that instances of fare dodging be put on a violator's credit report, which can hurt his or her ability to get a job or apply for a bank loan.