LOS ANGELES -- About 5.5 percent of Metropolitan Transportation Authority passengers don't pay the $1.25 it costs to ride the train, prompting MTA board members on Thursday to look into the possibility of installing fare gates at stations.

A report looking into gates and other options and what they would cost will be presented at the next board meeting in November.

"We're looking at opportunities to reduce fare evasion in light rail line, and one of the possibilities is to gate. That is an option," said Jane Matsumoto, deputy executive officer of Regional Transit Access Pass, who was involved in preparing the fare evasion report presented to the board.

The report showed that overall, 5.5 percent of nearly 30,000 passengers checked during an inspection by sheriff's deputies and MTA security had not paid for a ticket to ride the train.

But some expressed concern over the potential cost of installing fare gates versus the relatively low number of people who skip out on the $1.25 base fare.

"In reality, 95 percent non-evading is pretty damn good," said Manuel Criollo, an organizer for the Bus Riders Union.

"(Fare gates are) unnecessary; 5 percent is not a big number," he said.

Nearly 300,000 people ride the MTA rail lines daily.

There are no gate fares on the MTA rail system, but MTA train fare inspectors and sheriff's deputies conduct random checks on riders.

The fine for being caught without a ticket can be up to $250.

MTA spokesman Marc Littman said one of the other options at which they will also look at and present to the board is adding more fare inspectors.

"This is not just an issue of fare recovery, it's also an issue of security," he said. "We're also going to be looking at elements that would enhance security."