Declining ridership numbers have prompted the TTC to begin a crackdown on students who evade paying their fare and put off a number of planned service improvements.

According to a recent ridership report, the TTC is expected to see 12 million fewer riders this year than was previously predicted.

As a result, the TTC will see a loss of $25 million in passenger revenue.

In an effort to balance the budget, the transit agency says it will cancel planned service improvements and additions slated for this fall to save approximately $1.5 million.

The TTC says current service standards are adequate enough to support the expected number of riders through to next year, and that a cancellation of planned improvements for 2017 will save an additional $6 million.

“We only add service where warranted based on demand and growth,” TTC Spokesperson Brad Ross told CP24 on Thursday. “ We watch ridership very carefully and only plan to add service where it’s needed. Because there is no growth in ridership, we’re not going to spend money on service that isn’t in demand.

Meanwhile, the TTC says that a crack down on students who don’t pay their fare could be the boost ridership numbers need.

“As a by-product of the children-ride-free policy, some frontline employees have observed that at stops located near high-schools, students have been boarding vehicles without paying a fare,” the TTC’s report reads.

“Some student seem to be claiming to be aged 12 or under and should be riding for free.”

The report says that a letter will be sent out to schools to remind students and parents that anyone between 13 and 19 years old are required to pay a fare.

To curb the fare evaders, the TTC says it plans to increase the amount of fare inspectors patrolling streetcars, subways and busses.

“This would be followed by targeted inspections and possible ticketing,” the report reads. “These additional resources will further discourage fare evasion throughout the entire streetcar network.”

The report says that 18 more fare inspectors will be hired this year to bring the total number of fare inspectors to 69.