New York MTA pulls bus fare-enforcement teams after passenger assault incidents

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One incident occurred on October 6: on a B14 bus in Brownsville, Brooklyn, EAGLE agents were caught on camera pinning school staffer Kyle Taylor of Mott Bridges Academy against a bus shelter. Taylor later filed a complaint alleging he was punched and suffered a concussion. Four agents involved in the case have been taken off front-line duty since October 14. Lieber said he had recently learned of a second, earlier incident but gave no details.

EAGLE stands for Evasion And Graffiti Lawlessness Eradication. The teams were introduced in 2008 alongside Select Bus Service and expanded to regular routes in 2023, usually operating in six-member groups of retired law-enforcement personnel and civilians. Lieber assigned the review to MTA Chief of Security Michael Kemper, a former NYPD Chief of Transit, focusing on training, incident reporting and use-of-force guidance. Advocacy group Passengers United has written to Attorney General Letitia James requesting an investigation and called for body cameras.

The pause could slow the MTA's push to cut losses: the agency estimates about half of bus riders evade the fare, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year. "I'm not willing to keep our teams active in the field until I know that all protocols are being followed with respect to customer interactions," Lieber said.