They spend more setting up, running, updating (all out of date now), stopping, paying workers to sit at stops all to make people pay. 40% of septa income is via city not fare. Spend the money on septa cops or community safety officers.

Addicts and homeless are people too. Safety and payment are not the same. Free and safe can exist.

Edit: source https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/2016/11/07/who-pays-for-septa/ and not most but 40% of revenue is from state

https://whyy.org/articles/ellison-septa-fare-free-opinion/amp/