Article: Cheaper for go card cheaters to err and pay the fine

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Cheaper for go card cheaters to err and pay the fine

Cheaper for go card cheaters to err and pay the fine
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger

February 05, 2010 12:00am

THOUSANDS of commuters are exploiting a glaring loophole in southeast Queensland's go card network to get cheaper fares.

At least 6000 public transport users are deliberately failing to swipe their go cards each day because the penalty is less than the price of the fare.

The loophole is being exploited by commuters who travel more than seven of the region's 23 zones during peak hour, including trips between Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts.

The problem is costing the go card network hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

But it is saving commuters up to $4 on a trip between Robina on the Gold Coast and Central Station.

Regional transport authority TransLink yesterday revealed 12,000 commuters were failing to touch off their go cards each day.

More than half of them were believed to be doing it on purpose to take advantage of cheaper fares.

The penalty or fixed fare for commuters who fail to swipe their go cards is set at $5 for trains and $3 for buses and ferries. The State Government bowed to public pressure in 2008 and dropped a plan to set the penalty at $10 for trains and $5 for buses.

TransLink yesterday said there were no plans to increase the penalty.

A spokesman yesterday warned TransLink would crack down on repeat offenders. "In order to prevent people from abusing the low nominal fare by deliberately failing to touch off on long (over $5) journeys, TransLink does two things," he said.

"First, TransLink transit officers patrol public transport and fine fare evaders – with 22,000 $200 fines issued last year. Second, TransLink has now commenced contacting go card holders who repeatedly fail to touch off in order to assist them if they are having trouble using the system or warn them against fare evasion."

The spokesman said TransLink had deliberately kept the penalty low in recognition that people were still getting used to the system.

"Fare evasion is a major challenge for all public transport networks, costing honest customers and TransLink more than $16 million a year," the spokesman said.

"That's money that could be put into additional services or continuing to grow the network."

The number of commuters failing to touch on or off has dropped since September 2008, falling from 5.5 per cent of journeys to 3.8 per cent in the December quarter last year.

Commuter advocacy group Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said there was too little policing of fare evasion in outer lying areas.

"We have seen clusters of transit officers at gated stations, they should be out there at outer stations when people are going home, checking that people are touching off correctly," he said.

"There should be more active enforcement on all modes, and on the outer reaches of the networks as well."

He also said some go card gates at Citytrain stations were being left open, allowing commuters to walk through without touching off.

Fare evasion, which currently costs up to $16 million a year, has been reduced since the introduction of the go card.

[Nightwriter]

Surely this was anticipated by Translink - why is a policy on how to effectively deal with this not in place already?

The ability to pay a cheaper fine than fare has been discussed on this forum, and also within my work place, so its not as though people were too dumb to work it out.

Maybe thats it - Translink thought the commuting public were too stupid, and wouldn't twig onto the fact that the penalty is cheaper than the fare?

[Derwan]

I posted a blog comment about my previous suggestion - base the fare on where the person next touches on from - even if it's a day or week later.  It would virtually eliminate penalties and would be right most of the time.  It would reduce costs at the call centre to claim refunds.  Sounds like a win-win situation.

[O_128]

Good on them. Fares have risen yet the the service hasnt. Where are these 301000 seats?

[stephenk]

Whilst the comments page on the CM's website is not a cross representation of society, it seems that many people are disillusioned with the increase in fares, poor fare structure, and no corresponding improvement in public transport.

Many of my work colleagues have gone back to driving since the fare increases, not helped by INB overcrowding. I've found that despite being an advocate of public transport, I'm using it less since the fare increases.

Whilst on this topic, smart card systems work much better with fare gates. Translink should introduce fare gates at all major stations.

[Sir Loin]

I'm not trying to be a cleaver d*ckhead or anything, but if this situation was applicable for myself, I'd do it everytime, hands down without a second thought.

Put yourself in these peoples shoes, if you caught the train to Cleveland or wherever near the end of the line. For the pleasure your train turns up late, you push your way on with a crowd of other people, you have to stand the whole way, you are jammed in with four different smelly people brushing against you, the aircon is not effective, every stop around the city more people push themselves on and when you get to your stop you have to line up to swipe off. Would you happily spend some more of your personal time to line up and pay more than you need to for this delighful service if nobody is around to monitor it?

For those who would, full credit to you. But I'd be strutting through those gates knowing that I finally get to have a little personal revenge on translink for years of misery.

Translink will claim they are costing other passengers improved services. When they actually start improving the services that I ride on, with the increased revenue they are already gettting, then I'd take translinks side. 

[ELAINE]

I  have  just  heard that the  fines will be going  up next year

[#Metro]

I can understand why the fares went up; but the system doesn't work if you just put up the fares and then pocket the increase in revenue/decrease in subsidy loss. At least some of that must be returned.

It only works if the 301 000 promised seats that this was touted to pay for actually come online, and soon!  Where are they?

I don't think pricing has as large effect as increasing the frequency and level of service.
Even if Public Transport was free, the most I would use it would be twice a day to commute. But if the services ran more often, I could catch them to do other things. Little use if the bus is free but it simply isn't there to catch...

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail 6rh February 2010 page 36

Fines to surge for go card rorters

[somebody]

What's with the lack of fare gates on the Gold Coast?  Sunshine Coast I can understand, with it's dismal frequency etc.  Putting up the fixed fare will punish a lot of people who accidentaly forget to touch off pretty harshly.

[O_128]

What's with the lack of fare gates on the Gold Coast?  Sunshine Coast I can understand, with it's dismal frequency etc.  Putting up the fixed fare will punish a lot of people who accidentaly forget to touch off pretty harshly.

Some stations are already gated they are just not enforced.

[somebody]

What's with the lack of fare gates on the Gold Coast?  Sunshine Coast I can understand, with it's dismal frequency etc.  Putting up the fixed fare will punish a lot of people who accidentaly forget to touch off pretty harshly.

Some stations are already gated they are just not enforced.

Someone has a clear space between the ears.  QR or TL?

Toowong is the same.  Perhaps it's enforced in the peak.

[longboi]

What's with the lack of fare gates on the Gold Coast?  Sunshine Coast I can understand, with it's dismal frequency etc.  Putting up the fixed fare will punish a lot of people who accidentaly forget to touch off pretty harshly.

Some stations are already gated they are just not enforced.

Someone has a clear space between the ears.  QR or TL?

Toowong is the same.  Perhaps it's enforced in the peak.

Generally there will be someone to work on the barriers during peak at South Brisbane, Toowong and the GC stations with gates. But of course that is subject to staffing levels.

[ozbob]

From the ABC News click here!

Fare evaders warned of fines

Fare evaders warned of fines

By Chris O'Brien

Posted Fri Feb 5, 2010 6:46pm AEDT

Queensland's Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says fare evaders will be penalised if they are caught rorting the Go Card system.

Some travellers are deliberately not "touching off" after longer trips, because the flat fare imposed is cheaper than the actual fare.

The flat fare is likely to go up next year to take away that incentive.

Nonetheless, Ms Nolan says evaders will be pursued.

"There are certainly some people who are trying to get away with it, and transit officers are out there cracking down on them," she said.

"Last year 22,000 fines were issued for fare evasion.

"So for those people who think they can get away with a cheaper fare by not touching off, they're wrong."

[awotam]

"There are certainly some people who are trying to get away with it, and transit officers are out there cracking down on them," she said.
Where, exactly? I haven't seen a transit officer on a train since the new fares came in. 

[Nightwriter]

Although I've seen plenty of TOs milling uselessly about Roma Street station, chatting happily amongst themselves.

[cartel_brisbane]

I was at Roma Street on Tuesday afternoon at about 5:30ish and there were three TO's dealing with a particulary vocal piece of *expletive deleted* whom was giving all sorts of trouble and causing a big disturbance, over riding without a ticket, or something. 

I wonder, (or hope since he deserved it) got arrested for causing such an agro nuisence. 

[#Metro]

I think major places should just become closed and controlled stations.
They do this for Bogota and other cities. You have a railway station-like reader, you touch on to access the station and then jump on the bus: no swiping required.

[somebody]

I think major places should just become closed and controlled stations.
They do this for Bogota and other cities. You have a railway station-like reader, you touch on to access the station and then jump on the bus: no swiping required.

Problem with this is the Cubic software can't handle it.  I'd guess that's also the reason for the bus fixed fares, although I wouldn't completely rule out recalcitrance.

[awotam]

Although I've seen plenty of TOs milling uselessly about Roma Street station, chatting happily amongst themselves.

I've seen that too...  I wonder if it's a pre-requisite for the job, or if it's part of the training for new recruits... ?