Fare evasion in the transit system and assaults on transit workers, like the one that happened on Saturday at 145th Street and Broadway, are increasing. As a result, 500 additional police are being deployed to select subway stations and bus routes in the city.

“One hundred targeted locations—50 subway stations, 50 bus routes—will be the primary deployment for these 500 officers,” Governor Cuomo said. “As well as helping public safety overall, they will be reducing fare evasion and protecting MTA workers from assault."

Cuomo joined forces with Manhattan DA Cy Vance and the MTA chairman in announcing the 500 officers, who are being reassigned from other duties—200 from the NYPD, 200 from the MTA's force,  and 100 Tri-borough Bridge and Tunnel officers.

Cuomo said stations and bus routes with significant fare evasion tend to be locations where MTA employees are assaulted, so the new deployments will simultaneously attack both problems.

Last year, there were more than 100 assaults of bus and subway workers and more than 2,300 cases of verbal abuse and harassment.

One assault Saturday morning was captured on surveillance video. The man yelled at some MTA workers on the platform, then punched one of them in the face, unprovoked. Last month this MTA employee was punched in the face on an F train in Coney Island

"We cannot allow it,” Cuomo said. “They do not deserve it. They need more protection.”

Officials say the MTA's revenue losses from fare evasion have grown from $100 million to nearly $250 million a year.

"That is not only a legal violation. It’s unfair to everyone,” Cuomo said. “You just increased the fare on riders, and people have been exploiting it by not paying the fare at all.”

The surge in fare beating follows a decision by Vance and other DAs to largely stop criminal prosecutions of fare-beaters. Vance says it is better to focus on prevention. He said his office will provide $40 million to redesign turnstile gates and install video monitors. The money will come from funds forfeited by banks prosecuted by his office.

"There will be less ability for someone to get into the subway without paying the fare,” Vance said. “The gates that have been not closely monitored will be redesigned."

The MTA said this program will help secure resources the MTA needs to improve the system while protecting transit workers.