Sound Transit will start issuing tickets to riders who don't pay their fare share

Sound Transit will once again issue tickets to passengers who don't pay their fare at Seattle-area Link and Sounder stations.

Back in 2020, Sound Transit paused fare enforcement on its rail rides. Transit workers have only issued warnings since then. Now, the agency's new fare ambassador team is primed to start writing tickets again.

• Sound Transit fare enforcement resumes on Nov. 15.
• Violators will get two warnings per year. After that, they get hit with a $50 to $75 citation on the third and fourth violations. The fine for a fifth violation goes up to $124, and the person could be referred to district court.
• Riders who don't pay, and who can't provide a valid I.D., will also be asked to leave.

And all riders will start with a clean slate; any warnings issued before Nov. 15 will be nixed. Fare ambassadors can be spotted by their bright yellow hats.