It comes with a big price tag, but Translink says it’s worth it.
The company’s first “fare gate” was unveiled this afternoon at the Marine Drive Canada Line Station, the first of more than 250 that will come on-line next year.
The gates are part of a 170-million dollar system upgrade, which will also include new electronic “compass cards.”
Translink’s chief operating officer Doug Kelsey says it’s a significant step in cracking down on fare evaders.
But the new gates won’t be installed at both the Main Street and Metrotown stations, because improvements are needed at both locations.
Fare evasion is estimated to cost the company more than 10-million dollars annually in lost revenues.
Kelsey couldn’t answer how much it will cost to operate the new system each year.