Revenue from fares accounts for 18% of its budget.
But on average, they get around a third of their operating money from fares.
The train companies have undoubtedly succeeded in increasing their revenues from fares.
Rail subsidies have averaged £4.5 billion in recent years, with a similar amount coming from fares.
The authority also said that it had generated less revenue than expected from fares, despite an increase in fares this year.
According to Mr. Harris, revenue from fare increases is fully used on upkeep of the line.
Even so, losses from fare beating are down sharply since the cards were introduced.
"And that money is coming, of course, from taxpayers, from the Government, and from fare payers as well".
The earnings out of freight are 74 percent and the revenue from fares is 26 percent, so it was heavily cross-subsidized.
A one-way fare is $1.75, compared with $1.50 in New York, yet in 1999 MARTA collected only 26% of its revenue from fares, whereas New York collected 64%.
