5 Jan 2008: Fare Evasion Blitz - Another example of failed transport policy

[ozbob]

Media Release 5 January 2008

SEQ:  Fare Evasion Blitz - Another example of failed transport policy

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport does not support fare evasion on public transport.  However, Transport Minister Mickel?s statement of the 3rd January concerning a blitz on fare evasion in SEQ has failed to acknowledge the systemic ticketing problems on SEQ public transport, and those occasions when rail commuters in particular may legally travel without a valid ticket.  The statement also fails to highlight that failing to tag on with a smart card is also an offence and will eventually be subject to a $150 fine.

?Many commuters have given feedback on the difficulty of purchasing tickets at understaffed railway stations and continuing problems with Ticket Vending Machines that cannot provide adequate change, or in some cases accept notes.?

?There are a number of situations that may cause a citizen to board a train without a valid ticket, but with the intention of purchasing a ticket at major stations during or on completion of journey, so called reverse ticketing.?

?These situations are: when a person has a valid ticket but wishes to upgrade to a weekly or monthly ticket or a new destination; when a person boards at an unattended station, where Ticket Vending Machines are not available or functioning properly; and for some people who are unable to use a Ticket Vending Machine due to physical or intellectual disabilities. These people may need to show their health care card.?

?It is interesting to note that the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 Fare Evasion and other Offences --> http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TranstOpPasTA94.pdf  page 107 specifically mentions that a failure to tag on or early tag off with a smart card is fare evasion.  What happens if the GoCard tag on devices are not functioning??

?To think that the GoCard will be a ticketing panacea is flawed thinking.  There is an urgent need for fair fare pricing to be introduced on the GoCard otherwise fare evasion will be an ongoing issue. Railway stations need to be properly staffed and Ticket Vending Machines maintained in full operational capacity,? said Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

Contact:

Robert  Dow

Administration
admin@backontrack.org RAIL Back On Track
http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

See this thread too --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=381.0

[ozbob]

From Quest City News click here!

Ticket cheats derail system for $10 m a year

Ticket cheats derail system for $10 m a year

BRISBANE, January 17: THERE?S no such thing as a free ride ? as more than 75 Citytrain commuters discovered last week.

Passengers caught without a valid ticket have been hit hard where it hurts ? in their wallets.
A three-day fare evader blitz targeted inner-city stations and caught almost 400 people with 76 infringement notices handed out, along with almost 300 warnings.

?Deliberate, fraudulent or severe acts are not tolerated and penalties are issued in these circumstances,? Transport Minister John Mickel said.  ?Warnings are only issued in the case that a passenger?s claim can be reasonably proven,? Mr Mickel said.

A Queensland Rail database will record all warnings, with repeat offenders fined.  Names will remain on the database for three years.
A Translink survey completed in November showed fare evasion costs the system close to $10 million a year.

?Failing to buy a ticket is theft, it prevents more services being offered,? Mr Mickel said.

Community support group, Rail Back on Track spokesman, Robert Dow said there were numerous reasons why passengers travel without tickets.

?Many commuters have given feedback on the difficulty of purchasing tickets at understaffed railway stations and continuing problems with ticket vending machines that do (not) provide adequate change or in some cases accept notes,? Mr Dow said.

Mr Mickel said commuters travelling from an unattended station where ticket machines were not in use, and those unable to use machines due to a physical or intellectual disability, would still be able to buy a ticket from the reverse window at CBD Citytrain stations.

Shadow Transport Minister Tim Nicholls said the government should be focused on providing a reliable service, not catching fare evaders.

?If you have a system that works well, people aren?t going to evade paying for it,? Mr Nicholls said.

[ozbob]

This worth a read too --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=381.msg1570#msg1570

[SteelPan]

Yep, this latest fare enforcement crusade, is a typical hicksville QT 1950's response to a long-standing problem.  Problems include:

- Ticket Window queues designed to make the QR Suburban System look as popular as Superman The Escape Rollercoaster at Movieworld in mid-January.
- OVERLY COMPLEX fare structures.
- 1950's Ticket Machines installed a few years back at suburban railway stations - if they put it at one end of the platform, you enter the platform at the other end and your train is 30 secs away!!!  (Here's granny now sprinting down the platform!).
- Lack of services, lack of services, lack of services, so you really have to jump on board the train that's just arriving - or miss it, gggggrrrrrrrrrr, buy the overly complex fare structure ticket and wait 30mins or so to the next train (assuming it's not cancelled of course).
- Failure of anyone from QT - apparently ever - to say go to Melbourne and see that you can stick ticket machines onboard moving objects ie trains/trams - YES, BUY YOUR OVERLY COMPLEX FARE STRUCTURE TICKET ONBOARD THE MOVING TRAIN!!!!!! 
- Ticket Machines in Sydney and Melbourne have accepted Notes and issued weekly/monthly scanning tickets for many years!!!!
- SCRAP WHOLE STUPID TICKETING SYSTEM - Introduce 2 Zone (inner and outer system) - what you "lose on the swings, you pick-up on round-abouts", review after say 5 years - get rid of 3/4 white shirts - get rid of stoneage ticketing machines - GET RID OF STUPID FEW DOZEN ZONES - MAKE "GO CARD" ACTUALLY WORKABLE.

IMPORTANT: STOP YEARS OF #$^*'N ABOUT WITH STUPID TICKETING SYSTEM AND GET ON WITH **REAL JOB** OF PROVIDING, AFTER GENERATIONS OF NEGLECT, MORE TRAIN LINES, MORE SERVICES FOR SE QLD!!!!!! IS ANYONE LISTENING?

Queensland - The Smart State (Proved in testing against the intellectual capacity of drugged, sleeping baboons [just - well OK, a couple of the baboons were really really smart, but we're trying, hardest...]

[ozbob]