Fare evasion - articles discussion ...

[techblitz]

rough guestimate

55* 40 hours = 2200 hours per week dedicated to fare evasion in seq. 2200 / 10 mins average to board/check/wait for next service = 6 per hour * 2200 = 13200. Then take into account they at least work in pairs and more often than not triples/quads on the train so lets put it an average of 2.5 snos per trip

13200 / 2.5

So around 5300 services boarded per week....nowhere near enough to catch young fare evaders.....specifically in areas servicing major shopping centres and low socionomic disadvatange. I do notice the snos have a slight obsession with trying to ping non-pass uni students along the uni routes and regularly see them boarding between roma st and kelvin grove.


Those gold coast figures are atrocious btw......4+ million in 12 months? How many extras bus services does that fund?

[tazzer9]

They may only have 9 SNO's, but doesn't the G:link have its own inspectors which are on about 1/3 of all the tram services and nearly always have some of them sitting at GCUH.

Two solutions for this, hire a few more SNO's.  Even if they are just brisbane based and have some travel around SEQ every now and again for a blitz.
2nd Solution is to get police officers and uniformed security guards (not hire them, just give them a discount) to use PT more, even if its just to go 300m down the road.   I have a personal issue with police officers no longer being seen out on foot, even in  busy walking areas, they are always in a car.

If an SNO did their job properly and gave tickets to only those who were absolutely fare evading then they could make back their own salary just in the fines given out.  5 fines per 8 hour shift is very achievable.

[ozbob]

^^ SNOs travel between Roma St and KG because they are based at KG as I understand it.  Need to get to Roma St to go out on the rail network.

[Arnz]

Last TransLink tracker had the SNO count around 60 odd, along with 20ish G:Link CSOs (white/yellow uniforms) and 25 QR AOs (grey uniforms with QR epaulets on their shoulders).  Also to add the QPS rail squad. 

The QR officers if I recall correctly  has less powers than all other groups, and according to the QR website are required to have the QPS rail squad and/or the TL SNOs accompany them if they are to participate in revenue protection.  (basically the QR AOs are glorified security guards with fining powers for minor offences).

[tazzer9]

I didn't know all were based at KG, i knew some were as I always encountered them on a saturday and sunday morning on the first service of the day.  They should have some based elsewhere like maroochydore, robina, ipswich and garden city

[ozbob]

[nathandavid88]

According to the article there are apparently 9 SNO's based on the GC, which for a network the size of that of the coast, really isn't adequate. The fact that G:Link themselves have 20 odd CSOs, shows that more officers are needed for the remainder of the network down there.

[tazzer9]

To be fair, the tram would be very easy to dodge fares if it wasn't so heavily patrolled.  On buses and the GC rail stations its a bit harder due to visible staff and ticket gates

[Arnz]

Makes me wonder whether if the suggestion of 'decentralising' the SNOs may be a sufficient idea.  For example expanding the 9x GC based SNOs, and establishing a combined Moreton Bay/Sunshine Coast SNO unit based out of Landsborough for example (train/649 bus down to Caboolture or 605/615 to Caloundra/Maroochydore to start patrols in either region).

[Arnz]

On a slightly related note, TL has been sending the SNOs up the Sunshine Coast bus network the past week and a bit.  Probably due to school/Tertiary holidays, with sightings  almost daily at the major interchanges (Caloundra/Kawana/Maroochydore/USC/Noosa).

They must be getting extra mileage for the train travel up to Landsborough before transversing the SC bus network this holidays.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

14th November 2016

Fare enforcement on rail replacement bus services

Greetings,

It has come to our attention that some public transport users have been fined recently for fare evasion because their go cards were not touched on when they got off rail replacement buses. This is an outrage.

Some background.

It is the normal procedure in SEQ, that when a passenger boards a bus they touch on with their go card (or pay for a paper ticket or produce a valid ticket if not a pre-paid bus service).  When the passenger is leaving the bus when their trip is completed they touch off on leaving the bus.

When rail services are cancelled and rail replacement buses are in service these do not have go card equipment that is functioning.  The buses used either have it switched off or they do not have go card readers.  Passengers are normally expected to access a rail station to touch on (if this is possible) then leave the station and find the rail replacement bus stop.  When they get of the bus at the connecting railway station they have to remember to not touch on entering the station because this will actually touch them off and leave then vulnerable to a fare evasion offence.  If the connecting station has fare gates most users are not aware that go card fare gates are directional and this further exposes users to fare evasion offences and fixed fares.  Hardly satisfactory is it?

There is another caveat.  If a person has impaired mobility and it is difficult for them to access the rail station and then return to the rail replacement bus stop they can travel on the rail replacement bus in a non-touched state.

All this is very confusing for passengers who do not always understand these complexities and so are sitting ducks for fare evasion offences, when in actual fact it is the fault of the authorities in not ensuring the rail replacement buses have functioning go card equipment.  If this was the case there would not be an issue, but it is not the case.

During the week long closure on the Sunshine Coast and Caboolture lines prior to the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, travel on the rail replacement buses was specified to be free by TransLink.   This inconsistency in policy further confuses passengers.

It is time that fare enforcement on rail replacement bus services was done away with until such time there is a functional ticketing system on the rail replacement buses.

It is outrageous in our opinion that passengers are being hit with fare evasion fines considering the botched inconsistent system they have to put up with.
It is just fueling more resentment, grief, financial hardship and anger in the community.

We call on the Minister for Transport to direct that all fare enforcement on rail replacement buses be waived, and any recent fines for such offences be withdrawn.

Other jurisdictions DO NOT require ticketing on rail replacement services. They treat their passengers with some respect and courtesy, a courtesy that is missing in Queensland.

Thank you.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Latest media: ' Fare enforcement on rail replacement bus services '
> https://t.co/vCvY9bDMen#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @TransLinkSEQ pic.twitter.com/dSWmwyBOGM

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 13, 2016

[#Metro]

It has come to our attention that some public transport users have been fined recently for fare evasion because their go cards were not touched on when they got off rail replacement buses. This is an outrage.

Charging for the privilege of the inconvenience? This is madness.

Toss this mob of politicians out! They have no idea!!

[ozbob]

Absolute farce.   

I have told this little story before but it is worth repeating for others to read.

My wife often travels on the weekends.  One day, there was a closure Corinda to Roma St.  So she touched on at Goodna, and realised that under the present policy she should not touch off leaving Corinda station but touch off when the bus arrived at Roma St.  The bus stopped in Roma St outside the station so she proceeded to walk into the station to the fare gates.  Having listened long to my rants about go card gates being directional she realised that she had to go through the gates first and touch off on the inside of the gate.  She approached a QR staff member at the gates and said she had to go through to touch off as she came in the rail replacement bus.  The staff member was very surprised and it took a while to register. Eventually she was allowed in and then touched off and went on her way.

She was the only person on the bus that did that of course.   

[verbatim9]

It has come to our attention that some public transport users have been fined recently for fare evasion because their go cards were not touched on when they got off rail replacement buses. This is an outrage.

Charging for the privilege of the inconvenience? This is madness.

Toss this mob of politicians out! They have no idea!!

I don't think it would be Ministers directive to fine people mistakenly not being touched on re rail replacement busess. It would be an issue for Translink themselves to answer for? Rules are rules unfortunately there is an appeal process available if you were unduly affected.

[ozbob]

Errrr ... you seem to miss the point entirely.  The nature of the fare system is such that is very confusing when rail replacement buses are not part of that system.  When it suits Government, for example with the week long closure of the Caboolture and Sunshine Coast lines prior to the opening of RPL they decree that all travel on the rail replacement buses will be free. The point we are making is that due to the nature of the inconsistent policy, the demonstrated difficulties with the system design and implementation, that all fare enforcement on rail replacement buses be waived.  It generally is but every now and then we get reports of people being checked coming off rail replacement buses and getting pinged.  If someone  still wants to touch on at a station then get on a rail replacement bus fine. Most people don't.

[verbatim9]

^^It should be then communicated to the public that public transport is not free unless under special circumstances. Commuters must touch on regardless. If it is free one can always phone up for an adjustment.

[ozbob]

^^It should be then communicated to the public that public transport is not free unless under special circumstances. Commuters must touch on regardless. If it is free one can always phone up for an adjustment.

No, why should punters have to track onto a station to touch on then head back to a rail bus replacement stop?

You still don't get it do you ...

[ozbob]

It has come to our attention that some public transport users have been fined recently for fare evasion because their go cards were not touched on when they got off rail replacement buses. This is an outrage.

Charging for the privilege of the inconvenience? This is madness.

Toss this mob of politicians out! They have no idea!!

Rail replacement buses are free in Melbourne of course.  I travelled on them when last in Melbourne for the Frankston line closure.

Queensland is such a fuk-up.  They cannot do much right at all.

[#Metro]

Rail replacement buses are free in Melbourne of course.  I travelled on them when last in Melbourne for the Frankston line closure.

Queensland is such a fuk-up.  They cannot do much right at all.

Similar experience. Buses in Melbourne had card readers but they shut them off. Free.

Are QR still using Kangaroo Bus Lines with the high floor bus that has steps? Maybe they should get a few BT buses and use those.

And Melbourne had rail replacement stops permanently fixed. So not much thinking required at all.

[verbatim9]

Rail replacement busess have never been free in NSW or Vic when I lived there. Why should they be free here? It's sends the wrong message. People with then think the rail bus is free so the rest of the trip must be too. "Oh I couldn't find the place to touch on when I transferred from bus to rail. Oh I had to run to the train to make it. Didnt have time to touch on". The list goes on!

Except for the Mel rail crossing works "Which is an exception"

[ozbob]

Rail replacement busess have never been free in NSW or Vic when I lived there. Why should they be free here? It's sends the wrong message. People with then think the rail bis is free so the rest of the trip must be too. "Oh I couldn't find the place to touch on when I transferred from bus to rail. Oh I had to run to the train to make it. Didnt have time to touch on". The list goes on!

Except for the Mel rail crossing works "Which is an exception"

Still don't get it hey?  Move on ...

Until such time they have functioning ticketing equipment on rail replacement buses the travel should be free.  That is our position.

Far too many complications.  In the old days with paper tickets etc. different story. Just a minefield for hapless punters these days and

I OBJECT STRONGLY TO PEOPLE GETTING FINED FOR A FUKED SYSTEM NOT THEIR FAULT ... got it?

Melbourne crossing works are not the exception it is the rule there by the way.  I have travelled on rail replacement in Melbourne for a host of reasons and it is free.  As it turns out though with the capping on the myki it really doesn't matter to the degree it does here though.

[ozbob]

"Oh I couldn't find the place to touch on when I transferred from bus to rail. Oh I had to run to the train to make it. Didnt have time to touch on".

Errrr nope!

Punters are switched on and they know that when they enter a rail station to travel they touch on.  This is normal practise.  Same as when you board a bus you touch on and when you leave you touch off.  This is how the system works (except the rail replacement buses which just confuses).  SNOs police heavily as a rule rail that follows on from rail bus replacement connection. Don't have a problem with that.
Until such time they sort out ticketing on rail replacement buses just leave it free, it is now in effect.  I have been assured today by the authorities they are not checking ticketing on rail replacement.  Why not just come out and state a clear policy?  Because everything is vague punters are still liable to be pinged.  It needs clarification.

[verbatim9]

It would make it easier to touch on and off at readers on rail replacement busses.

[James]

Rail replacement busess have never been free in NSW or Vic when I lived there. Why should they be free here? It's sends the wrong message. People with then think the rail bus is free so the rest of the trip must be too. "Oh I couldn't find the place to touch on when I transferred from bus to rail. Oh I had to run to the train to make it. Didnt have time to touch on". The list goes on!

Except for the Mel rail crossing works "Which is an exception"

It should be free because anybody catching rail buses in the current PT climate deserves a fuking medal. They are slower than the rail network, run infrequently and often misconnect with connecting services (bus & rail). Nothing can be done to stop that, but you can at least make the bus part of the service free as compensation for the delays.

The idea of touching on then trying to get to the rail bus is a big issue, particularly at gated stations and for people who have difficulty accessing go card readers (disabled etc.). If it is not being policed, government should come out and state it as free, not continue to wallow in this grey area.

[ozbob]

Spot on James!

[ozbob]

G-link is warning we're all losing out, as thousands of people freeload on our tram system. @eorourke9 #9News https://t.co/lFpQjubesp

— Nine News Gold Coast (@9NewsGoldCoast) November 15, 2016

[SurfRail]

The revenue protection is probably at a point of vanishing returns given the number of staff relative to patronage and number of vehicles, hence why they are being vocal (it's cheap).

[HappyTrainGuy]

"Oh I couldn't find the place to touch on when I transferred from bus to rail. Oh I had to run to the train to make it. Didnt have time to touch on".

Errrr nope!

Punters are switched on and they know that when they enter a rail station to travel they touch on.  This is normal practise.  Same as when you board a bus you touch on and when you leave you touch off.  This is how the system works (except the rail replacement buses which just confuses).  SNOs police heavily as a rule rail that follows on from rail bus replacement connection. Don't have a problem with that.
Until such time they sort out ticketing on rail replacement buses just leave it free, it is now in effect.  I have been assured today by the authorities they are not checking ticketing on rail replacement.  Why not just come out and state a clear policy?  Because everything is vague punters are still liable to be pinged.  It needs clarification.

Zillmere has the rail buses stop 200-300m away from the station. Couple hundred meters for Virginia plus a walk up to the overpass as there are no ground based readers. Gaythorne has the buses stop on an entirely different street 400m from the station. Good luck tapping on only to find they are turned off due to no power and then walking back to the bus stop. Add a couple hundred meters if you are elderly/vision impared due to the busy Pickering Street if you have to use the lights at the intersection. Toombul is a cracker as it dumps you at the shops (uses the inbound and outbound 310 stops) along with having to walk up onto the overpass to touch on/off.

[brissypete]

Add Fairfield to the list, replacement buses use 196 terminus at Fairfield Gardens. 

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

Fare enforcement on rail replacement bus services
> https://t.co/vCvY9bDMen#qldpol
Layers of incompetence and poor treatment of pax pic.twitter.com/n0NzWm3rnT

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 17, 2016

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

25th November 2016

Please clarify fare arrangements on rail replacement bus services

Greetings,

With yet another major track closure this weekend (Roma Street <> Rosewood and <> Springfield Central) we would have hoped for some clarification on the very confusing ticketing arrangements for rail replacement buses.

Present situation:

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/about-track-works

During planned track closures, buses will replace train services. You can find your station's rail replacement bus stop location or follow signage at the station.

Occasionally go card may not be available on replacement buses or at stations. If you're able to, please use the go card reader at your station or purchase a paper ticket for travel prior to catching your rail replacement bus service.

Please plan your journey in advance—check for upcoming track closures. Allow for extra travel time (approximately 60 minutes) if the closure affects you.

Some background.

It is the normal procedure in SEQ, that when a passenger boards a bus they touch on with their go card (or pay for a paper ticket or produce a valid ticket if not a pre-paid bus service).  When the passenger is leaving the bus when their trip is completed they touch off on leaving the bus.

When rail services are cancelled and rail replacement buses are in service these do not have go card equipment that is functioning. The buses used either have it switched off or they do not have go card readers.  Passengers are normally expected to access a rail station to touch on (if this is possible) then leave the station and find the rail replacement bus stop.  When they get off the bus at the connecting railway station they have to remember to not touch on entering the station because this will actually touch them off and leave then vulnerable to a fare evasion offence.  If the connecting station has fare gates most users are not aware that go card fare gates are directional and this further exposes users to fare evasion offences and fixed fares.  Hardly satisfactory is it?

There is another caveat.  If a person has impaired mobility and it is difficult for them to access the rail station and then return to the rail replacement bus stop they can travel on the rail replacement bus in a non-touched state.

All this is very confusing for passengers who do not always understand these complexities and are so are sitting ducks for fare evasion offences, when it actual fact it is the fault of the authorities in not ensuring the rail replacement buses have functioning go card equipment.  If this was the case there would not be an issue, but it is not the case.

During the week long closure on the Sunshine Coast and Caboolture lines prior to the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, travel on the rail replacement buses was specified to be free by TransLink.   This inconsistency in policy further confuses passengers, sometimes it is ' free ' sometimes it is not.

It is time that fare enforcement on rail replacement bus services was done away with until such time there is a functional ticketing system on the rail replacement buses.

It is outrageous in our opinion that passengers could be hit with fare evasion fines considering the botched inconsistent system they have to put up with. It is just fueling more resentment, grief, financial hardship and anger in the community.

Other jurisdictions DO NOT require ticketing on rail replacement services. They treat their passengers with some respect and courtesy, a courtesy that is missing in Queensland.

Thank you.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Latest: &#39; Please clarify fare arrangements on rail replacement bus services &#39;
> https://t.co/TN8huTP0DH#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe pic.twitter.com/wEDoozOUGf

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 25, 2016

[ozbob]

Please clarify fare arrangements on rail replacement bus services
> https://t.co/TN8huTP0DH#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @TransLinkSEQ pic.twitter.com/8CoSmUSYSe

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 29, 2016

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Figures reveal 6300+ fines handed out

The Gold Coast is under-resourced in tackling fare evasion, with only 6341 fines dished out in one year and nine officers stationed in the region, LNP member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey says.

It comes despite figures revealing Surfside bus drivers on the Gold Coast pressed their "fare evasion" count button 425,354 times between April 1, 2015 and April 1, 2016.

Between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016 there were 291 infringement notices and 1057 warnings notices issued for fare evasion on Surfside bus services.

During the 2014-15 financial year, fare evasion cost honest passengers about $25.8 million across south-east Queensland, government statistics show.

Ms Stuckey said the latest figures, showing 6341 fines were handed out on the Gold Coast across all modes of public transport from April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2016 - broken down by suburb - revealed too many people were getting away with fare evasion.

"The fare evasion button was pushed by drivers 425,000 times (for Surfside buses)," Ms Stuckey said.
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"So how come when they give me a suburb by suburb break down there is only 6300?

"That's the big question - and there's not nearly enough.

"What happened to the other 419,000?"

A TransLink spokesman said the fare evade button was installed on Gold Coast buses in April 2015.

"(It) allows bus drivers to register any people travelling without a valid ticket for a variety of reasons," the spokesman said.

"There have also been reports of bus drivers inadvertently using this button by accident, rather than a "count key" which is used for Gold Coast City Council's free off-peak travel for seniors initiative."

There are nine Senior Network Officers permanently stationed on the Gold Coast, patrolling trains, buses and the G:link tram.

SNOs are required to travel in groups of two or three with up to seven officers out on the network at any given time, an answer to a question on notice from the LNP states.

"I think the government are not serious about safety or lost revenue when you see that they only have nine Senior Network Officers and they work in pairs or more," Ms Stuckey said.

"There wouldn't be nine at any given time because they have holidays, sick leave.

"If you start looking at the size of the Gold Coast and that's all they've got for protecting three different services - bus, rail and tram, it's not good enough."

The TransLink spokesman said a dedicated revenue protection team was permanently based on the Gold Coast in February 2015.

"The dedicated SNO team has conducted 21 high visibility joint operations with Queensland Police targeting fare evasion and anti-social behaviour at locations including Nerang, Broadbeach, Southport and Helensvale," the spokesman said.

He said 16 team deployments were scheduled each calendar month across the Gold Coast, with an extra 42 SNOs available network-wide for targeted operations on the coast.

Another nine SNOs will graduate on Friday, and will work across the south-east network, including the Gold Coast, from Saturday, the spokesman said.

"SNOs operate seven days a week across transport modes and accompany Queensland police officers and 27 G:link customer service officers on special operations," the spokesman said.

"These coordinated fare evasion operations, alongside other measures put in place by Surfside Buslines such as night time guards on the weekend and driver conflict resolution training, provide further network safety, security and ticketing compliance for the Gold Coast."

There were 16,002 warnings for fare evasion on the Gold Coast issued during the year to April 1, 2016.

The TransLink spokesman said SNOs, Customer Service Officers and police had discretion to issue a fine or warning.

"A warning will ordinarily be issued for a first offence unless it is determined that the offence committed is deliberate or a severe safety breach," he said.

The latest figures show the top suburb for fare evasion fines was Southport with 2923, followed by Surfers Paradise with 1811, from April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2016.

"Southport's larger number of recorded offences could be attributed to its role as a major interchange between bus and light rail services on the Gold Coast," the TransLink spokesman said.

But Ms Stuckey questioned why Coolangatta - a busy precinct - only recorded two fines.

The TransLink spokesman said it would consider coordinating targeted fare evasion operations in other areas, including Coolangatta in the future.

Fare evasion on the Gold Coast (April 1, 2015 - April 1, 2016)

Arundel - 3

Ashmore - 10

Beachmere - 1

Biggera Waters - 18

Bilinga - 0

Broadbeach - 480

Broadbeach Waters - 5

Burleigh Heads - 23

Burleigh Waters - 2

Carrara - 1

Coolangatta - 2

Coomera - 89

Currumbin - 5

Elanora - 1

Helensvale - 428

Labrador - 21

Main Beach - 5

Mermaid Beach - 2

Mermaid Waters - 2

Merrimac - 0

Miami - 15

Molendinar - 1

Nerang - 203

Ormeau - 124

Oxenford - 2

Pacific Pines - 1

Palm Beach - 9

Parkwood - 3

Robina - 90

Runaway Bay - 5

Southport - 2923

Surfers Paradise - 1811

Tugun - 4

Varsity Lakes - 52

[ozbob]

Wired --> Ignoring Fare Evaders Can Make Mass Transit Faster—And Richer

In Oslo, it began with a defective gate, the kind of thing that sings "lawsuit!" in America. In the Norwegian capital's metro system, in 2005, newly installed turnstiles began to trap unsuspecting riders. "If you had a carriage or a baby stroller, you could get stuck," Christian Fjær, who oversees the local transit authority's payment operations, said at an event hosted by the research group TransitCenter last month.

So the enterprising Norwegians had an idea: Don't just ditch the malfunctioning hardware. Ditch the turnstiles and gates altogether, along with the idea of physical barriers that demand payment.

It's not so radical. By nixing fare gates, public transit agencies emphasize ease of access over making every last rider pay. Europe got into "proof of payment" systems—where wandering personnel request evidence you paid your way—in the 1960s. They made it to American shores, mostly in light rail systems, by the 1990s.

Now, 21st century tech is making it easier than ever to blow up the turnstile. Modernized, cash-free fare payment methods—like reloadable tap-and-go cards, or apps that let riders use smartphones to get tickets, Apple Pay-style—speed up boarding. Passengers don't have to struggle past fare gates. They can board through any door, instead of pushing through a bus's front entrance to pay the driver.

The result: Faster vehicles, less crowding, and thus more frequent service, leading (hopefully) to more riders overall. Meanwhile, data collected from systems using modernized proof of payment methods don't show fare evasion skyrocketing. People, it turns out, mostly follow the rules—especially if they know getting caught in a spot check carries a hefty fine.

Today, bus, tram, and rail passengers in Oslo can use a tap card or smartphone app to pay their fares before the trip, without risking the howls of a gate-pinched toddler. The city's transit agency is "moving away from trying to keep the non-paying passengers away to catering for the paying passengers," Fjær said last month.

In Oslo and cities trying to update their fare payment systems, the general attitude toward transit scofflaws is, whatevs.
The Great Doors Experiment

San Francisco's Muni system is one of the most the recent to fling open the fare gates and make the switch to all-door boarding. After the city's light rail started letting people hop into any door in the 1990s, its buses got in on the act in 2012. Helped along by the tap-able Clipper Card, which riders purchase and load in advance, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency installed electronic readers at all doors. It increased the number of trained fare inspectors patrolling the system, too.

"Essentially what we were trying to do is keep the honest folks honest," says Julie Kirschbaum, who oversees the agency's modernization efforts. And do just enough to keep the bandits on their toes.

It worked. In tourist-heavy areas, the system's bus and streetcar dwell times per stop dropped 13 percent. Before, each person getting on or off needed 6.8 seconds. Now, they take 3. 5 seconds. Multiply those moments of savings by every rider boarding and alighting at every stop on every bus line, and you've got hundreds of hours of extra time per year. All from opening up the back doors.

The cheaters are still along for the ride, according to Muni's latest data. But the agency's surveys found fare evasion dropped from nearly 10 percent in 2009 to 7.9 percent in 2014. The resulting estimated loss in revenue fell from $19.2 million to $17.1 million.

That tracks with Oslo's experience, where the public transit system also liberated all metros from fare gates. By making it easier for riders to pay for tickets through their phones, the system halved its fare evasion rates, to five percent. Trains are moving faster, too, which encourages more people to use the service. The agency has calculated the cost of slower operations versus what it's losing through fare evasion. It makes more financial sense to let the cheaters cheat, it says.
The Tech Hangups

Unfortunately, flinging open every door is not as simple as, well, flinging open every door. The requisite fare modernization efforts don't come cheap. New York's been trying to trade in its swipey MetroCard for a tap-and-go, smartphone-friendly system for nearly a decade now, but won't really get the ball rolling until 2018—for a cool $419 million.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, started its Metro with a fare gate-free, proof-of-payment system, but started moving back to gates in 2008. It cited fare evasion, yes, but also public safety and crime deterrence.

Different strokes, man. But cities like Oslo and San Francisco show there's a counterintuitive logic to making transit easier to ride for all.

[#Metro]

I like the PTUAs idea of e-Tag.



(satire)

[verbatim9]

Apparently can't do that here due to an older system. It only can accept virtual Go cards if an upgrade was performed. No third party ones like Master Card Visa or Amex or any other pre paid card or account.

[ozbob]

Counterintuitive truth: obsessing about fare evasion can the mean less money, worse service. https://t.co/i2eVhuxQuo

— Jarrett Walker (@humantransit) December 9, 2016

[ozbob]

Don&#39;t try and cheat the system. pic.twitter.com/Yh0ejKfMUH

— Darwin Award 🔞 (@AwardsDarwin) March 10, 2017