Stockton college student Richard Sentz said it was all just a mistake.

When he bought his new city bus card, he accidentally tossed it away instead of his old, expired card. At least, that’s what Sentz told the police when they boarded his bus and asked him and others for their cards. He didn’t have a valid one.

That’s a ticket. A hefty one. But when Sentz received his fine in the mail two weeks later, he was flabbergasted. His fine was $1,050 for not having a $1.50 available on his bus card. As Sentz pointed out to Fox40 News in Stockton, the fine was roughly equal to the CalGrant he received to attend Delta College.

“This is ridiculous,” Sentz said.  “I just couldn’t believe there was a $1,050 ticket for that. I mean, a speeding ticket doesn’t even cost that much.”  In fact, it’s twice the price you pay for running a red light. The base fine for evading a fare is $250. There is a state penalty that tacks on another $250. The county adds $175 and other various and sundry fees bring it to $1,050, none of which goes to the San Joaquin Regional Transit District.

Until Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 492 a couple weeks ago, no portion of fare evasion fines was returned to local transit districts. The bill, which takes effect in January, directs that all such fines stay in the locality and almost certainly will be much smaller.

Sentz appealed his ticket and had his day in court yesterday. He could have asked for a trial, but opted to throw himself on the mercy of the court. The fine was reduced to $275, which Sentz said he would have to pay in installments.

–Ken Broder  

To Learn More:

Man Fined $1,050 for Not Having $1.50 Bus Ticket (by Andria Borba and Ian McDonald, KTLA)

Bus Rider Gets $1,050 Fine Reduced (by Ian McDonald, Fox40 News)

Assembly Bill 492 (California Legislative Information)