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NEW YORK (PIX11) — Bus passengers may want to re-evaluate their seat choices.

Drivers will not be allowed to automatically open rear and center doors on buses in an attempt to stop fare evaders, an MTA spokesperson said. A memo on the policy was sent out to bus operators on Friday.

Potential fare beaters would need to head to the front of the bus to board. Riders already on the bus can manually activate the rear and center doors for exiting.

“The policy is intended to continue to offer customers easy exits while deterring fare evasion by reducing the time that rear doors are open while no one is exiting on local bus routes,” MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said.

Select Bus Service is exempted from the memo. Rear-door boarding is allowed and encouraged on SBS buses.

Around one-third of bus riders aren’t paying to ride, per the MTA. The agency in late April pledged to crack down on fare evasion.

The fare payment area on buses is currently located by the front door. As the OMNY payment system is implemented, officials said all-door boarding with fares accepted at all doors will become a feature of the bus system.

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