New Yorkers may soon hear a new question during their commute—and it will sound a little more Berlin than Bronx: “Can you show me your phone or your OMNY card?” The MTA has announced plans to roll out a “European-style” fare inspection system aboard city buses, replacing NYPD enforcement with civilian agents, in its latest effort to curb fare evasion.

Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chair and CEO, announced the shift this week, calling it a practical response to a long-running issue: the NYPD doesn’t assign enough officers to patrol buses. The subway system already commands most of that staffing, leaving buses with what amounts to an honor system— one that’s cost the agency dearly . According to the Citizens Budget Commission, the MTA lost $568 million to unpaid bus fares last year.

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