Central Trains are clamping down on fare dodgers in Coventry by sending inspection squads to carry out station platform checks. But instead of issuing offenders with a fine, those caught without tickets will be sent to the nearest machine to buy one.
Central trains says the problem costs them �1.5m a year.
There will be staff out in force at Canley, Tile Hill and Berkswell stations.
Ticketless travel currently stands at around 6% in the West Midlands which equates to about 300 people a day not paying their fares.