The MTA is ramping up enforcement of fare evasion on buses around the city after MTA estimates revealed nearly half of all riders this year aren’t paying their fare.

The new effort consists of both undercover transit inspectors and uniformed officers out to catch fare beaters. Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost every year due to fare evasion, according to the MTA, including $315 million from buses alone in 2022.

Andrew Albert, an MTA board member and the chairman of the rider advocacy group, the New York City Transit Riders Council, joined “Inside City Hall” Friday and said fare beaters are “depriving the MTA of much needed revenue and that eventually could come out of service and nobody wants to see that.”

Albert attributes the rise in fare evasion, up from 35% in 2023 to 48% this year, to people seeing others get away with it.

“It’s like the thing to do now — stick it to the man. It’s terrible,” Albert said, going on to describe a scene at an MTA hearing in Brooklyn. “A woman got up in tears and she said ‘you know I want to do the right thing but I see people coming in the rear doors and I say what am I, an idiot? Why should I pay if they’re not?’ And I don’t want anyone to feel like an idiot for doing the right thing and paying their fare.”

Fines for fare evasion range from $50 to $100. The undercover EAGLE team previously only covered SBS bus routes but have now expanded to cover regular buses as well. Riders won’t know if an agent will be on their bus until after they board.

Some state officials have proposed simply making the buses free, a system that was implemented during the pandemic. Albert says the money has to come from somewhere.

“Nothing is free. Somebody would end up having to pay for it. Does that mean the entire state’s taxes would have to pay for it, even if they’re nowhere near New York City?”

While some may think bus drivers are responsible for ensuring riders pay, Albert said that should not be expected of them.

For the subways, Albert said they’re testing out new turnstiles that can’t be hopped over.

“Other cities can dream about a system like this but can’t afford to build it. We’ve built it, and now we need to take care of it,” he said.