BART begins crackdown on passengers who haven’t paid to ride

BART fare inspectors, outfitted with reliable ticket scanners and proper citation books, began checking unsuspecting passengers Thursday at Powell Street Station to make sure they’d paid their fares.

But even though the new team of six fare inspectors was ready to issue tickets, none would be issued through the end of the day’s service. BART scofflaws would receive only a warning. They will not be so fortunate beginning Friday.

The BART Board of Directors, as part of a crackdown on fare evasion, voted in October to establish a proof-of-payment policy that requires anyone in paid areas of stations or aboard trains to show a valid Clipper card or paper magnetic-stripe ticket.