SEATTLE -- As of Jan. 1 a ride on the Seattle’s new South Lake Union Streetcar is supposed to cost $1.50, but it turns out a lot of passengers aren’t paying.

The tickets that come from a self-serve machine in the middle of the main cabin has not been accepting some riders' cash.

“I haven’t paid yet because the machine doesn’t take my money yet,” passenger VK Gadi told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News after she tried to pay with cash.

VIDEO: Streetcar No Longer Free But Some Passengers Still Not Paying

According to some passengers, they have never been asked to show their ticket.

“I see people huddling by the money machine, I don’t know if they’re getting their card or not,” passenger Donna Miranda said.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Chris Egert watched a maintenance personnel toy with the ticket taker trying to fix it, only to have it break moments later.

In one hour Egert counted 10 people who tried to pay and couldn’t, calculating the cost of lost fares equaling $15.

Initial ridership averages showed 3,000 people took the trolley each day. That number has since dropped off to 1,000 per day.

The city is pushing to lay more streetcar lines in other parts of the city, but the tracks and trains cost money that doesn’t appear to be collected, Egert reported.

“I hope they get it fixed because they took all the taxpayers' money to build this thing and now it’s not paying back what it is supposed to,” passenger Jeff Rediger said.