Ross: You have to pay your transit fare now; imagine that

Now that the State Supreme Court has made it clear that there are no excuses for not paying your transit fare, Sound Transit is ready to end any confusion that might remain.

Starting this week, new signs are going up at all the light rail stations. They are bright yellow signs that say “Pay To Enter.”

More from Dave Ross: Ex-football players would convince people to pay for transit

And in addition to the bright yellow signs overhead, there will be bright yellow lines on the floor. If you cross the line and have not paid, you can be asked to leave. And as we know, thanks to the Supreme Court decision, if you do not respond to the request to leave, your departure will be politely assisted by someone in uniform.

Speaking of Security, Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm posted this video:

“The security presence will be more visible, and it will have improved response times on board and at stations over the course of this year,” Timm said. “We’re also working with partners to put more focus on helping to connect those people in need with social services resources in real-time.”

In real time – that implies no extended loitering in the stations, and people in crisis will be quickly and compassionately escorted to a more suitable location.

And for you transit fans who found that Seattle Times article about the sad state of the Downtown Transit tunnel as depressing as I did, she also promised working equipment and more attention to cleanliness.

“You’ll see us focusing on cleaning our stations more often over the course of this year, and we’re bringing back the trash cans at downtown station platforms,” Timm said.

Can I get a Hallelujah!!

For a while there, I thought we were trying to out-grunge New York City.

I know this will not happen instantly, but it’s the best transit news I’ve heard in a long time.

According to the official release, Sound Transit understands this might represent a significant change for many people – the idea of having to pay for something before you enter. I would just point out that there are many organizations that have used this method quite successfully for many years – including theaters, amusement parks, the Space Needle, and every sports event – whether your team wins or not!

So I’m pretty sure we can handle this.

And remember – Sound Transit also remains one of few transactions where no one expects a tip. In fact, it’s not even an option.

Your tab fees take care of that.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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