Fare compliance on Victoria’s metropolitan and regional transport networks has dipped over the past year, according to the latest survey from Public Transport Victoria.
PTV’s survey data – which was taken in May, and released this week – shows compliance dipped on Melbourne’s tram network to 95.1%, compared to 96.4% recorded in October 2016.
Compliance rose slightly on Melbourne’s trains – from 97.4% to 97.6% – while a substantial drop in bus compliance – from 93.6% to 89.2% – meant PTV’s overall metropolitan network compliance fell from 96.2% to 94.8% in the May 2017 survey.
Meanwhile, regional train fare compliance was 94.2% in May, down from 95.9% in October 2016.
PTV boss Jeroen Weimar looked on the positive, noting fare compliance remains roughly 10% higher than it was a decade ago, when the first survey showed 86.6%.
Weimar also noted the survey was the first since the introduction of a new fare compliance system, which saw better training for Authorised Officers, and the removal of on-the-spot penalty fares on January 1.
“Over the past decade we’ve seen a huge improvement in the number of passengers doing the right thing and it is great to see that continuing,” Weimar said.
“At the same time we have also seen a reduction in the number of complaints about Authorised Officers, following the introduction of the new simpler and fairer compliance system.”
Despite the vast majority of Victorian passengers travelling with a valid ticket, PTV says fare evasion still cost $36.5 million in lost revenue in the last financial year.
Common reasons for not having a valid ticket were concession fare breaches, and having regional train passengers having an ‘insufficient balance’ on their myki cards.