A year ago, Virginia Railway Express cited a handful of riders for fare evasion each month. Now the commuter train service is busting nearly as many riders each day. But despite the crackdown, the agency is still seeing repeat offenders, with some riders getting busted as many as six or seven times, said VRE spokesman Mark Roeber. Now, he said, the agency plans to seek tougher laws in coming months to crack down on those who keep abusing the system.

The commuter train service that shuttles riders from as far away as Manassas and Fredericksburg into Washington each day has struggled to make sure riders pay their way. Unlike Metro, the commuter train service does not have fare gates or turnstiles to pass through. Instead, customers are expected to validate their own tickets at kiosks. Conductors then spot-check passengers on the trains to make sure they have a valid ticket for that length of the trip.