Go Card loopholes and fare evasion

[Derwan]

The title of the article mentioned here appears to have been updated to "Go Card fare evasion loophole revealed".

I added a comment disagreeing with the title - as the word "loophole" is more generally used where what you are doing is technically not against the rules, but you're able to use the rules (or limitations of a system) for gain.  (Please discuss wording and its usage in the thread linked above.)

That got me thinking.  What are the methods that people are using to "evade" fares and are they legitimate loopholes (i.e. you would not be fined) or a clear case of fare evasion?  Are there any grey ones?

To get started, here are 3:

1.  Not touching off in high zones.  The penalty is less than the fare.  If deliberate, this is a clear case of fare evasion.

2.  The example in today's article of cancelling the touch in the bus by touching the rear reader as you board.  Again, clear case of fare evasion.

3.  Doing a return journey after spending less than an hour at your destination and paying for a single.  This is a "loophole" - a limitation of how the Go Card system works and you wouldn't be fined for it.

Do you agree with my assessment of the 3 above?  What others are there?  (I'm sure we've mentioned a few over time.)

[ozbob]

I think the ability to double back on your zones as a transfer is a benefit of the system, providing you touch off and then transfer back on within the hour.

When the go card first came out it was possible to say board at Robina, touch on go to Central, change to a train at Central for Robina (no touching as you haven't left the station) and then on touching off at Robina - zero charge.  This is now changed and if you did that today you will receive a fixed fare penalty.

[ButFli]

When the Go Card first came out the "no touch off penalty" was supposed to temporary. People were supposed to be charged the fare to the end of the line if they didn't touch off. After some lobbying by members of this group and others it seems the "no touch off penalty" is here to stay, enabling passengers taking high-zone trips to have a very cheap ride.

[ozbob]

TL have flagged increases in the fixed fare penalties in time, they have said that while the community is a learning phase they are happy to leave the fixed fares as they are.  In absolute terms the number of high zone non touches is not that great, and TransLink can monitor and cancel cards if an issue.  As a group we have never lobbied for mitigation of non touch penalties, fare evasion is fare evasion.  I have never heard of the intention for charging an end of line fixed fare, it has always been the intention of TL as far as I am aware to have $10 for rail and $5 for bus/ferry.  An end of the line fixed fare would be impossible to program, it needs to be a constant.  I expect fixed fares will increase in 2011.

[somebody]

An end of the line fixed fare would be impossible to program, it needs to be a constant. 

Shouldn't be too hard for a bus.  It's just a problem for rail.  I'm told it's what the ERG system does for buses.

[ozbob]

End of line = rail.  Bus, could be done but the program variations may be a bit complicated.  To  stop fare box leakage (and simplify programming and use) on buses and trams flat fares are often used, but whether that is appropriate for our system is a moot point ...

[ButFli]

Shouldn't be too hard for a bus. At the end of the line when the trip is changed from outbound to inbound (or or vice versa) all Go Cards that are yet to be touched off should be recorded as being touched off there.

[p858snake]

End of line = rail.  Bus, could be done but the program variations may be a bit complicated.  To  stop fare box leakage (and simplify programming and use) on buses and trams flat fares are often used, but whether that is appropriate for our system is a moot point ...

Not really, On busses you would just have to check against the touch on gps location, You could even have touch cancels have to use the front scanners and that a bus driver have to authorise it.

[ozbob]

Folks need to cancel when they have to, and shutting off the rear readers would become very difficult to manage from the drivers perspective.  And what about the the CityGlider type approach?  How do you different between and early touch and a true cancellation?  Trams also present problems from an early touch point of view as well (Gold Coast coming).  The best solution is to simply identify the cards that have frequent cancellations, and some aggressive enforcement, perhaps even peer pressure as well.

Fare evasion will occur no matter what the system. Flat fares would reduce the potential and actuality of fare evasion of buses and trams to very low levels.  This is why most jurisdictions do that.  Also the problems of folks touching off on trams quickly  (much higher pax loadings than bus) makes single touches (flat fares) very attractive.

[longboi]

Agreed that the most effective method of finding fare evaders is to look at reports to identify who is regularly doing early touch-offs.

[somebody]

How do you different between and early touch and a true cancellation? 

Pretty sure I suggested in another thread to disallow "Cancel touch on" from the rear reader.

[ozbob]

That is the obvious solution, but I think that would have been done already if it was a simple thing to program.  Rear type readers are also at the front.  Also problems when loading centre and rear if folks want to cancel (minor issue).

[#Metro]

What a mess. This is exactly like the fictional go gate saga. How it it that Cubic can run these systems overseas but over here they get into all sorts of trouble.

[somebody]

problems when loading centre and rear if folks want to cancel (minor issue).

I think if we were loading at the rear, we would need off bus touching.

[stephenk]

Until Translink can sort out the reliability issues with Go-Card readers (I was stung yesterday), or offer free post or free phone methods of getting refunds, there should be absolutely no thought about increasing the fixed fares.

[Otto]

Shouldn't be too hard for a bus. At the end of the line when the trip is changed from outbound to inbound (or or vice versa) all Go Cards that are yet to be touched off should be recorded as being touched off there.

Won't work..
Some bus services allow pax to continue on the next service as part of the previous service... e.g. outbound Balmoral 230 becomes inbound 235. Pax may touch on 230 in city and touch off as 235 when they get to their destination in Balmoral.

[somebody]

Won't work..
Some bus services allow pax to continue on the next service as part of the previous service... e.g. outbound Balmoral 230 becomes inbound 235. Pax may touch on 230 in city and touch off as 235 when they get to their destination in Balmoral.

Interesting, but is it really a problem?  You would be charged to the end of the line on the 230, when you touch while getting off, that would be a continuation touch on, through zones already gone through.  There could be times it doesn't work out that way.  Perhaps if you had gotten on in the Gabba.

But is it really a problem to require these pax to touch off the bus as a 230 and re-touch when it's a 235?

[#Metro]

JACKPOT!!!

Another free bus trip today. I think that makes three trips in one week!

[ozbob]

Personally, I am getting a little concerned with fare box leakage as go card usage increases.  It may well be very significant due to fare evasion and simple loss of revenue due to equipment failures. 

[Otto]

One thing of concern to me is that the penalty fare on buses ( for non touch off {$3.00} ) is cheaper than the fare even if you only travel 1 zone {$3.40} !

[#Metro]

Don't worry, all these people running around spending money on fixing what this system with many holes in it is creating employment...

How can this system have so many holes and problems? It has given me 3 free trips of recent. Isn't cubic the same company which runs Oyster card? Surely they have had the same problems in other cities with their cubic systems and have learned something? Its not like this is their first rollout anywhere.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_window_fallacy

[awotam]

Talking of fare evasion... all my train travel since I got my Go Card has been to or from Roma St or Central, so it's difficult, if not impossible, to get through without touching on/off, without being noticed. However, last week I had to travel from my local station, to another "open" station on the north side. As I was touching off at the destination, it struck me.. why bother? Well, ok, as I'd touched on at the start of the journey, I had to touch off at the end.. but if I was travelling this route every day.. What deterrent is there to those who do travel similar routes on a regular basis, to just jump on the train, jump off again at the other end, and not bother either using a Go Card or buying a ticket? Oh, yes, of course.. the ever present & alert T/O's! Yeah, right... since I started using a Go Card on Jan 4th, I have yet to see one of these people on board a train. I've also yet to see any of them at any station except Roma St or Central. And even there, it's not as if they're even doing anything useful. Now I'm not suggesting or condoning fare evasion... but if I was travelling from the middle of nowhere to the back of beyond every day, I have to say I'd find it tempting. And for those of a less honest persuasion, just what is there to stop them?!

[ozbob]

Yes indeed awotam.  Like you, I think the TOs are best out on the network, not at gated stations.  

In the past 2 years 2 months of go card use I have been checked 4 times.  Twice with a mobile reader and twice just show and go.  Considering I travel daily  at least twice the odds of being checked are the around 900/2 = 450 to 1.  If I was travelling exclusively to and from non gated stations the chances of being caught would be >400/1.   Therefore, this is where the TOs should be concentrating to reduce these odds so that fare evaders are actively discouraged and caught if travelling without a valid ticket without reasonable excuse.

Footnote:  I have never been checked on a bus, but then again I don't travel on bus daily, maybe once a week on average.