Did Someone Pull a Free Fare Fast One on the MTA?

Straphangers scored a free ride from the Fort Hamilton F/G station Wednesday morning, thanks to an anonymous group railing against service cuts, fare hikes and working conditions for transit employees.

In a post to a neighborhood listserv, resident Steve LeVine said he entered the station just after 8 a.m. and saw someone dressed in an MTA worker's uniform hanging a sign (posted above), while another held the service gate open, waiving people through as the alarm blared.

Designed to look like an official MTA notification, the sign's fine print reveals that it was decidedly not. (A call to their press office confirmed this.)

The fine print reads:

"The MTA strives to make the highest profits off your commute. We apologize for the recent service cuts and fare hikes but they were necessary to pay our friends on Wall Street. Enter this station for free through the service entrance. Be prepared for expanded free service until the resolution of contract negotiations in favor of TWU Local 100."

Alan Saly, director of publications for TWU Local 100, said that while the transit union was not involved in this morning's machinations, he does support the general concept behind the signage.

"It's true that banks are profiting from the transit system and riders are suffering, but we weren't involved in that," he said. "We’re not encouraging anyone to not pay a fare."

The MTA referred further comments to the NYPD, who claimed no knowledge of the event.

According to Gothamist, Fort Hamilton Parkway was just one of more than 20 stations across the city opened by the group.

Occupy Wall Street members claimed to have been in on the fare fixing stunt.

Did you see the sign this morning? Did you enter the station for free? Tell us in the comments.