20 Sep 2009: SEQ: Fare evasion commuter view point

[ozbob]

Media Release 20 September 2009

SEQ:  Fare evasion commuter view point

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has said fare evasion is systemic on our public transport network.  It has been reported that over 22,000 fines were issued for fare evasion over the last year (1).  We would suggest this is only a small fraction of the individuals travelling without valid tickets.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track does not support fare evasion in any shape or form.  All citizens have a responsibility to ensure they have a valid ticket.  There are some exceptions where reverse ticketing is permitted for example when ticket machines are not serviceable and the station is not staffed, or a disabled patron is not able to use the ticket machine at an unstaffed station. Similarly if go card equipment is not operable go hard holders with credit on their go card can travel in an 'untouched' state.  In general though these go card equipment failure circumstances are not common on rail, but are more frequent on bus.  These go card equipment failures are themselves though a contributor to a loss of fare revenue."

"Observations by our members suggests that Transit Officers could be more effectively deployed on the wider network.  Often we have noted groups of TransLink officers at major gated stations supplementing station staff already checking tickets."

"The failure to drive go card uptake with innovative fares that beat paper integrated ticketing has resulted in large numbers of public transport users continuing to use paper tickets. This compounds problems for ticket checking at major stations (2)."

"Go card equipment reliability is getting better and all effort should be made to continue this improvement. All Transit Officers need the mobile go card readers to check the status of go cards on the move.  Too often it seems that go card holders are just able to show and without validation their go card during on board ticket checks."

"Community education with respect to fare evasion needs to be stepped up.  Travelling without a ticket is fraud but commuters also need to be clearly informed of the few circumstances where they may travel without a valid ticket.  One morning, I witnessed a commuter who not able to touch on with her go card due to the equipment and ticket machine not being serviceable, lacked the confidence to travel on public transport and resorted to an expensive taxi ride because of fear of a $200 fine. This is not a healthy ticketing climate."

References:

1. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26095800-3102,00.html

2. 9 Sep 2009: SEQ Go, stop, Go! http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2722.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

There are some interesting if not concerning comments on this blog at CM --> here!

[beauyboy]

Yes but lets just face facts of who responds to the courier in general say___

eg

* Homosexuals are sick
* it is ok to speed
* drink driving is ok
* suburban trains have locomotives
* cyclists should be on bikeways not roads
* bikeways are a waste of money ( ::)that one drive me through the roof)
* etc, etc, etc,

I have in general giving up reading the responses cos I feel like I want to strangle someone after reading them.

Donald