Fare evasion - articles discussion ...

[ozbob]

I suggested that to the Bulletin.  Fare evasion on light rail is most certainly a lot less than on buses and trains for sure.  Be nice to know the official stats on this but in Queensland data that is freely available in other states is a state secret.  Wankers ...

[colinw]

I was carded last weekend - I would say I am checked on more than 50% of all my trips.  Regardless of how sparse they may have become (which I'm not confident is the case TBH), they are still a much more regular and frequent presence than on the rail or bus network anywhere else in the State.

I have been checked every single time I have ridden G:Link.

In contrast, have yet to be checked on a bus, and haven't been checked on a train for a couple of years now.

[STB]

With the fare evasion happening on the trams, is this actual on purpose fare evasion or more to do with tourists not understanding how to use the ticketing system?

[colinw]

I have ended up helping a non-local with the ticket machine every single time I've used Broadbeach South ... yeah I think you may be right about that STB.

[ozbob]

For interest ..

Sydney Morning Herald --> Train fare dodger racks up $52,000 in fines

[techblitz]

witnessing quite a few drivers not even bothering to press the fare evasion button after they let said fare evader on thier bus.The 110/117 outbound @ salisbury station is particularly rife with non recorded evaders..mostly children as they connect off their free ride from the beenleigh line.
Most recently on a 760 @ currumbin...the driver spent more time cursing his young "ive got no money" passenger instead of just pushing the button. I politely reminded him that there is a fare evasion button and he simply said "why bother nothing gets done about it"
I left it at that

[Otto]

My sig shows how many times SNOs have boarded a service I have been doing and they have checked tickets on my service.
What is not shown are the 3 occasions this year when SNOs have boarded my service and have just sat down and checked NOTHING for the duration of the trip.
For example, a group of 3 SNOs boarded my 204 at Carindale ( approx 4pm ) recently and travelled to Adelaide street. They made no attempt to check tickets at any stage of the trip. Must be a great job !

[dancingmongoose]

My sig shows how many times SNOs have boarded a service I have been doing and they have checked tickets on my service.
What is not shown are the 3 occasions this year when SNOs have boarded my service and have just sat down and checked NOTHING for the duration of the trip.
For example, a group of 3 SNOs boarded my 204 at Carindale ( approx 4pm ) recently and travelled to Adelaide street. They made no attempt to check tickets at any stage of the trip. Must be a great job !

Happened yesterday evening on the 340, 3 SNOs got on at the Gabba and played Bejewelled on their phones for the duration I was on the service

[red dragin]

Whereas I was checked twice on my way back to work from Central this morning.

Two police in full gear (taser etc) and an SNO just before Bowen Hills.

Two SNO at Petrie after I got off. Mentioned it was my second for the day and thanked them for doing their job 

[ozbob]

QPS were boarding at Goodna when I detrained this morning at Goodna.   Goodna rail is a favourite ...

I have never seen any fare checking on Western buses.  i suppose it has happened, but probably a case of diminishing returns.

[James]

I really think the focus should be on rail. Bus drivers tend to do a good enough job of enforcing fares, and without the TTCC there's nigh on zero chance of someone fare evading on a bus (CityGliders excluded) without the driver knowing.

Rail, on the other hand... a lot of people seem to use paper tickets.

[ozbob]

^  however it is interesting to note that the published fare evasion rates are much higher on buses, both in Sydney and Melbourne.

I am not so sure everything is as pretended on buses in SEQ. 

[ozbob]

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/a-fare-cop-state-loses-120m-every-year-to-passengers-who-dont-pay-20140212-32ie6.html

Fare evasion
More than one in 10 public transport users in Sydney dodge fares, with bus commuters in the inner west the worst offenders at twice that rate.

[ozbob]

http://ptv.vic.gov.au/about-ptv/ptv-data-and-reports/research-and-statistics/

Victorian Official Fare Evasion Series: October 2014

The October 2014 fare evasion survey covered the three metropolitan modes of train, tram and bus as well as V/Line train services.

Metropolitan network fare evasion was 5.9 per cent in October 2014.

Metropolitan train fare evasion decreased in October 2014 to 4.1 per cent compared to 6.3 per cent in May 2014.

Tram fare evasion decreased in October 2014 to 6.0 per cent compared to 8.8 per cent in May 2014.

Metropolitan bus fare evasion decreased to 8.7 per cent in October 2014 compared to 12.7 per cent in May 2014.

V/Line train fare evasion increased to 7.0 per cent in October 2014, compared to 4.9 per cent in May 2014.

[Arnz]

Have to wonder why there are 3 groups of Revenue Protection Officers.  Even though the TL employed SNOs have the most powers out of the three groups. 

The other 2 Transit Officer Groups; the G:Link Transit Officers (wears the white/yellow G:Link uniforms) and the QR Transit Authorised Officers (which is the small remaining group of what was formerly known as the TransLink Transit Officers), to some extent do the same job with reduced powers, but on their modes of transit only. 

From my knowledge, the QR Transit Officers are no longer able to fine people for fare evasion unless if they have either the railway cops and/or the TransLink SNOs accompanying them, which makes me question what are the point of the QR group of officers.

[dancingmongoose]

One way I have seen fares evaded on buses is to buy a paper ticket and just keep using it day after day. The bus drivers rarely check the date.

[Fares_Fair]

I had a woman who followed me through the gates at Central yesterday afternoon just on 5pm..  couldn't believe the audacity 

[Arnz]

There has been reports across various FB pages that some of the QPS rail squad are now carrying go-card readers and checking tickets on their own without a TransLink SNO or a QR Authorised Officer accompanying them.

This now makes them the 4th group doing what is effectively the same job with varying powers (59 TransLink SNOs,  the recently expanded Queensland Rail Transit AOs,  G:Link CSOs and now the QPS).

[SurfRail]

http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/Portals/0/docs/Transit%20Officer%20Information%20Booklet%20July%202014%20-%20Final.pdf

Sensible arrangements for a sensible place, less than so for a less than such...

[longboi]

There has been reports across various FB pages that some of the QPS rail squad are now carrying go-card readers and checking tickets on their own without a TransLink SNO or a QR Authorised Officer accompanying them.

This now makes them the 4th group doing what is effectively the same job with varying powers (59 TransLink SNOs,  the recently expanded Queensland Rail Transit AOs,  G:Link CSOs and now the QPS).

Revenue protection isn't a core responsibility of the QPS. It is essentially a tool that allows Police to identify people who are wanted for other matters. However, if you can't verify that someone is fare evading, you can't begin asking them for ID.

G:Link CSOs exist because, as I understand it, GoldlinQ are given incentive payments for reaching revenue targets. It's in their best interest to maximise revenue and it's entirely possible that at the time, costs for

Queensland Rail AOs are a bit of a mystery. I'm not sure if QR has any sort of incentive payment for revenue. If not, I suspect their existence would either be:

• a short-lived necessity to finalise the transfer of revenue protection duties to TransLink and give the remaining QR staff something to do while natural attrition reduces their numbers.
• a way to better protect assets without needing to rely on Police and potentially cheaper than additional SNOs

[Arnz]

Revenue protection isn't a core responsibility of the QPS. It is essentially a tool that allows Police to identify people who are wanted for other matters. However, if you can't verify that someone is fare evading, you can't begin asking them for ID.

G:Link CSOs exist because, as I understand it, GoldlinQ are given incentive payments for reaching revenue targets. It's in their best interest to maximise revenue and it's entirely possible that at the time, costs for

Queensland Rail AOs are a bit of a mystery. I'm not sure if QR has any sort of incentive payment for revenue. If not, I suspect their existence would either be:

• a short-lived necessity to finalise the transfer of revenue protection duties to TransLink and give the remaining QR staff something to do while natural attrition reduces their numbers.
• a way to better protect assets without needing to rely on Police and potentially cheaper than additional SNOs

QR had recently advertised for more AOs a few months ago online via the government websites, so I don't think their group of officers will be reducing any time soon, unfortunately. 

Saying that, I still question what's the point of QR's AO group when they are no longer authorised to perform revenue protection on their own and are required to have the QPS and/or TransLink SNOs accompanying them for revenue protection.  I'm guessing they're effectively crowd controllers outside of joint revenue protection jobs with the QPS and/or TL SNOs.

[longboi]

Revenue protection isn't a core responsibility of the QPS. It is essentially a tool that allows Police to identify people who are wanted for other matters. However, if you can't verify that someone is fare evading, you can't begin asking them for ID.

G:Link CSOs exist because, as I understand it, GoldlinQ are given incentive payments for reaching revenue targets. It's in their best interest to maximise revenue and it's entirely possible that at the time, costs for

Queensland Rail AOs are a bit of a mystery. I'm not sure if QR has any sort of incentive payment for revenue. If not, I suspect their existence would either be:

• a short-lived necessity to finalise the transfer of revenue protection duties to TransLink and give the remaining QR staff something to do while natural attrition reduces their numbers.
• a way to better protect assets without needing to rely on Police and potentially cheaper than additional SNOs

QR had recently advertised for more AOs a few months ago online via the government websites, so I don't think their group of officers will be reducing any time soon, unfortunately. 

Saying that, I still question what's the point of QR's AO group when they are no longer authorised to perform revenue protection on their own and are required to have the QPS and/or TransLink SNOs accompanying them for revenue protection.  I'm guessing they're effectively crowd controllers outside of joint revenue protection jobs with the QPS and/or TL SNOs.

Interesting.

The QR website mentions they are being trained up for trackside access in order to patrol the right of way. If they are hiring more, it makes me think they are being kept to take the load off QPS and deal with low-level issues such as trespass, crowd control and good order offences. It makes sense. Rail Squad should be focused on violent crime, counter-terrorism, robbery, theft, suicide attempts etc.

[techblitz]

this is just adding costs to maintain order on the network.....if the costs balloon thennsoon there will be no option but to remove rail guards.....in terms of fare evasion...its probably one of the main reasons  jackie is implmenting the fare review.....the associated costs of stamping out fare evasion

[ozbob]

My younger daughter travelled to Goodna yesterday for a change.

Her comment when I met the train ' Gee Dad, not many people touch off at Goodna ' ...

' Yes, they all have paper tickets .. ' I explained   

[ozbob]

Monash Institute of Transport Studies --> Paying a high price for fare evasion

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland fare evasion doubles in a decade

The number of fare evaders in Queensland has effectively doubled in the past decade, official crime statistics show.

The figures, available through the Queensland government's open data program, shows the proportion of people committing the offence of fare evasion peaked last October.

That month, 9.34 per 100,000 people were fined by police as a result of fare evasion, which was almost double the ratio – 4.80 per 100,000 – recorded 10 years earlier in October 2004.

Between 2005 and 2010, the ratio stayed below 5:100,000 every month except March and October 2010.

The data, which stretches back to July 1997, shows a noticeable spike from early 2013, which coincided with a Newman government crackdown on fare evasion and "anti-social behaviour".

The lowest ratio was 1.74:100,000, which was recorded in October, 1997.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the figures dealt with cases that had been escalated to police, which usually meant the offenders had fallen foul of a "three strikes" policy.

About "60 to 70 per cent" of the cases involved rail commuters, he said, but bus, ferry and taxi fare evasion were also represented.

A promised interview with the QPS Rail Squad did not eventuate.

Commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track's Robert Dow said there was not a huge problem with public transport users who occasionally, either through accident or design, did not pay their way.

"The bulk of fare evasion is from multiple fare evaders," he said.

"I know that sounds trite, but it's a point that has been demonstrated by (a Monash University study) and other studies."

Mr Dow said government announcements at about the time that showed the spike in offences meant it was "probably related to more focussed enforcement" rather than an increased occurrence of fare evasion.

"There is an element of society that is going to fare evade and fare evade regularly," he said.

"That seems to be the target of the enforcement regime to either get these people off public transport or paying a fare."

Mr Dow said those people tended to have a philosophical problem with paying public transport fares, rather than having problems with fare affordability.

A TransLink spokeswoman said the transit authority's figures different somewhat from the QPS, with its data showing a slight improvement.

She said TransLink issued 19,682 fines issued in 2014-15, down from 21,219 in 2013-14 and 20,672 in 2012-13.

"The number of fines issued for ticketing offences across the TransLink public transport network in south-east Queensland reduced from 1.21 offences per 10,000 trips in 2013/14 to 1.12 offences per 10,000 trips in 2014/15," the spokeswoman said.

"This decrease in the rate of ticket offences could be attributed to increased patrols of TransLink senior network officers (SNOs) and increased awareness of ticketing requirements within the travelling public.

"The revenue protection presence on the TransLink network has increased significantly in recent years, with several rounds of recruitment growing the SNO team to 68 officers, who work alongside QPS Rail Squad, Queensland Rail's authorised officers and G:link's customer service officers."

[colinw]

Funny that.  You police something, and the stats for recorded offences go up.  Who'da thunk it?!!!

[ozbob]

Interesting ...

=============

Twitter

Andrew Lund ‏@andrew_lund 21 minutes ago

PTV says fare evasion on @metrotrains now down to just 2.7%. But 8.7% on metro buses @9NewsMelb

[red dragin]

Catching a bus the other day a guy just walked on, no ticket or go card. Driver didn't say anything (nor did I expect him too - he's a driver not a security guard).

In QLD, which ones are the people wearing the caps with "Authorised Officer" on the back and a badge with Qld Rail on their shoulders. Two walked through my afternoon service yesterday.

I've yet to see ticket checks done on any peak service in the three months I've caught the train now.

[Arnz]

Catching a bus the other day a guy just walked on, no ticket or go card. Driver didn't say anything (nor did I expect him too - he's a driver not a security guard).

In QLD, which ones are the people wearing the caps with "Authorised Officer" on the back and a badge with Qld Rail on their shoulders. Two walked through my afternoon service yesterday.

I've yet to see ticket checks done on any peak service in the three months I've caught the train now.

AOs are mostly the QR staff that used to be a part of the now-defunct TransLink Transit Officer unit.  QR had recently hired a few more Authorised Officers, seeing they were recently advertising for more officers through the government websites, so unfortunately they will be sticking around for years to come.  Also as I've read on the QR website, they are also being trained up for corridor protection (basically glorified security guards on railway premises).

Whilst they are no longer authorised to perform revenue protection on their own unless they are accompanied by the QPS Railway Squad and/or the TransLink Senior Network Officers, they can still however fine for minor offences.

https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/forcustomers/safetysecurity/securityinitiatives

Authorised Officers provide a safety and security presence on Queensland Rail trains, stations and other assets. They manage and deter nuisance and low level behavioural offences on Queensland Rail property, such as smoking, consumption of alcohol, graffiti, trespass and illegal track crossings.

They have Authorised Person powers under legislation, which enables them to give a direction to leave a railway, and prepare warning and Penalty Infringement Notices for various offences. Queensland Rail is currently also training the Authorised Officers as Rail Corridor Protection Officers, to enable them to conduct patrols within the rail corridor, targeting graffiti, trespass and other security issues.

The Authorised Officers patrol both Citytrain network and Queensland Rail Travel services, and whilst their role is no longer revenue protection (as this is now managed by TransLink), the AOs can issue fines and warnings for fare evasion, for example, when participating in joint operations with police.

[ozbob]

7 News Brisbane

Watch the lengths commuters go to to avoid buying a train tickets.

>> https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/watch/30278651/caught-on-camera-public-transport-fare-evasion/#page1

[ozbob]

^ It is not only rail.  Fare evasion occurs on buses and ferries as well.  Bus fare evasion rates are the highest of all modes both in Sydney and Melbourne.  We can only guess here, as data is not made available.  Secret state Queensland.

Naive to assume it is not happening on modes other than rail sadly.

[brissypete]

On a recent week long trip to Melbourne I had my myki checked 3 times.  Also plain clothes officers are common there unlike here where they stand out so much the fare evaders can more easily avoid them.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[red dragin]

The little bloke and I where watching the trains at Petrie this arvo waiting for the wife's train.

At lease 4 Police and 6+ fare checkers (not sure which flavour) on Platform 1, doing a decent trade. One or two per train.

Wife's train pulled in, one bloke headed for the men's toilet. Much to the amusement of the two Police and at least two ticket checkers, who then wandered over and where standing at the door way waiting for him to finish when we left.

The look on the guys face would have been priceless to see when he walked out and was confronted with that welcoming committee 

[sgmc1009]

Now that the mobile card readers are being used on the network, and have been for the last month or so, is there any indication of success in deterring fare evasion?

Has the government given any statistics or analysis with regard to old versus new fare check systems/equipment? If so I haven't seen it.

I do know that when an officer tried to scan my card at Gaythorne station recently he couldn't because of a lack of mobile network. Is this a regular occurrence? I have heard some officers saying the new system is slower for them.  :

[Derwan]

Now that the mobile card readers are being used on the network, and have been for the last month or so, is there any indication of success in deterring fare evasion?

Is this something new?  Ticket inspectors have always had the mobile readers that simply give them a listing of the last few transactions on the card (including whether it is currently touched on).  This doesn't require a mobile network as it simply reads the information on the card.

The difference will come when they launch the next generation electronic ticketing, when people will be able to use credit cards or phones to touch on/off.  There probably will need to be a mobile network connection then, as the touch will be recorded on a server instead of the card.  Perhaps they're already introducing these new readers in preparation?  (Still a long way off and the supplier hasn't even been chosen!)

[SurfRail]

^ They do appear to have transitioned to newer equipment recently.

[red dragin]

^ They do appear to have transitioned to newer equipment recently.

It looks like a smartphone in one of those "drive over it with a tank" type cases. Appears to use a chip reader (NFC?) in the back. I've been checked with one and been apologized to for the delay as it relies on a mobile connection.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Cheats costing us all a motza as Gold Coast becomes State's free-riding public transport capital

FARE dodgers made almost half a million free trips on Gold Coast buses in the past year, ripping off millions of dollars from the transport network.

Transport authorities knew fare evasion was a problem but did not know the extent until the city's Surfside buses were fitted with a button for drivers to press every time someone dodged paying.

Just two months after the buttons were fitted, drivers had pressed them 75,392 times while in the 12 months to April this year, drivers logged 425,354 fare evasions worth an estimated $4 million.

Stopping the fare scammers has been almost impossible, with just nine transport officers based on the Coast to patrol the city's trams, trains and buses.

They issued only 291 infringement notices and gave 1057 warnings as more than 14 million trips were recorded across the city.

Bus drivers, fearing for their safety and under strict instructions to avoid conflict, often let drunken louts ride for free rather than risk a confrontation.

Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey, concerned about the increase in violence on southern routes, sought the statistics after continuing attacks by youths on elderly passengers.

Ms Stuckey began seeking updated data after Layni Cameron, 17, and Larna Watmough, 21, attacked partially blind pensioner Paul Buttigieg, 77, at Kirra in February 2014, in an incident where the filmed footage went viral.

She said she had watched security camera film of the latest "shocking" incident in which a 71-year-old Tweed Heads passenger was punched in the head 10 times at the weekend after asking a man in his early 20s to stop smoking on a bus.

"What is the Government doing to highlight the terrible increase in fare evasion?" she said. "Why isn't the community saying dob them in?

"Why isn't the Government running an education campaign?

"Are they going to take a leaf out of other states that have a better strategy?

"Clearly, what we're doing is not working here.

"These figures are off the Richter scale."

The fare evasion data was released by Transport Minister Sterling Hinchliffe in a reply to a question by Ms Stuckey in State Parliament.

"During the 2014-15 financial year, fare evasion cost honest passengers about $25.8 million across southeast Queensland," Mr Hinchliffe said.

He said the go card system had allowed Transport and Main Roads to compile the data which helped in rolling out monthly operations at fare evasion hot spots. The fare evade button recorded school students who forgot their go cards, as well as violent passengers who placed drivers at risk.

An independent revenue protection taskforce was created in January 2014 and a permanent base for senior network officers established on the Coast in February last year.

"These co-ordinated operations, along with other measures put in place by Surfside Buslines such as night-time guards on the weekend and driver resolution training, provide further network safety, security and ticketing com-pliance for Gold Coast public transport users," Mr Hinchliffe said.

A TransLink spokesman said the dedicated Gold Coast revenue protection team had staged 21 joint operations with Queensland police, targeting fare evasion and anti-social behaviour at locations including Nerang, Broadbeach, Southport and Helensvale.

"There are currently nine senior network officers based on the Gold Coast, with an additional 46 SNOs available network-wide," the spokesman said.

Surfside Buslines did not respond to questions yesterday.

[ozbob]

It is a odd trait of human behaviour hey? 

Fare evasion rates are highest on buses (direct supervision) where as other modes with less direct supervision (rail and tram) are lower in NSW, Vic and QLD.