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Port Authority Considering 'Honor System' For Trolley Riders

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - With all the new riders the Port Authority is taking a look at different fare systems.

One option being considered is the so-called "proof of pay" system, also known as the honor system.

The plan would put a lot of faith in its riders.

Here's how it would work:

Riders would pay before they board the T at a ticket vending machine. They would get a receipt type ticket and then on board, random checkers would make sure riders actually paid up.

"The fines tend to be pretty hefty and that is the deterrent. That's what makes it effective and the systems that use it find they really don't have much issue with people trying to cheat the system," Port Authority Spokesman Jim Ritchie said.

Although it may seem easy to cheat the system using this method, the Port Authority said that's not the case.

In fact, it has actually reduced cheating and boosted revenue in other locations.

The big bonus it would likely have here in Pittsburgh is that the delays and long lines to get on the T during events would go down drastically.

"Most major cities use this that have a transit system, New York, L.A., Dallas, Denver, so it's a proven system and that's really the draw there. It's been tested and its successful," Ritchie said.

The Port Authority will be taking a close look at those other cities, but at this point, the system is not a definite here.

"We're at the point where we need to study some of the other systems that are using it, how they use it. What were the costs? Who actually does the checking and things like that and figure how does that apply to the Port Authority system?" Ritchie said.

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