After a months-long pause, Metro’s Tap-to-Exit has returned to the North Hollywood and Union Station stops.
Beginning on Monday, riders will need to tap their fare cards at new, taller gates to enter and exit the stations.
“Our law enforcement partners have told us that about 94% of those they are arresting don’t have a valid fare,” said Stephen Tu, Metro’s executive officer of station experience.
Initially launched in May 2024 at the North Hollywood station, the pilot program aimed to decrease crime on Metro trains and buses by requiring riders to tap their cards before exiting.
Three months after implementing the system, Metro reported a 90% decrease in loitering at the station and a 12% decrease in crime. Metro added that they recovered more than $130,000 in fare revenue in the first month of the program in North Hollywood. Throughout the B (Red) Line, which ends in North Hollywood, fights, drug use and graffiti dropped by more than 40%, according to Metro.
Metro saw a 55% drop in crime when it implemented Tap-to-Exit at the downtown Santa Monica Station.
They expanded it to Union Station in February 2025, but paused the entire program for a few months in July after the Los Angeles Fire Department raised concerns about potential bottlenecks in emergency situations.
Metro said they can remotely open the gates during emergencies. They plan to expand Tap-to-Exit to the A Line’s Pomona North Station.
Cal State Northridge University students Angelica Hernandez and Jacqueline Guzman were happy to hear that the Tap-to-Exit program has returned. The young women said they have recently seen crime and sexual harassment on the public transit system.
“I witnessed a person almost get stabbed last time,” Guzman said. “I hope the stations get a lot more safer.”
Riders like Thomas Ortiz consider Tap-to-Exit a barrier.
“I’d rather see free; everything free for Americans,” he said.
Metro has a program that allows people with low incomes to ride for free. Christopher Miller and Crystal Startley are able to ride for free thanks to the program. They recently moved to California from Alabama for recovery treatment.
“It’s been a lifesaver because we come here with no money,” Startley said.
