Free Buses?

Yep, Yep!

I catch 2 buses every morning (one from Suburbs to City, then City to Woden) and the same every afternoon. Only once a week or so do I have my ticket validated on both buses on each trip – I’ll either “pay” for the suburb to the City or for the City to Woden.

Although they’re not loosing anything from me because I’m always validating morning and night, I hate to think where all the money for these free fares is coming from for others who don’t pay anything.

For a while there was an Action Staff member at the City Interchange every morning… Although she was lovely, I struggled to know her purpose – especially because she was telling people to “just jump on, don’t worry about paying.” She often went so far as to ship people on the back doors, even if the ticket machine was fully functioning and all the people getting in the front door were validating them.

She hasn’t been around for a few weeks now… not sure why not?

I’ve noticed that the people who have prepay tickets get on for free, but the bus drivers press a button and the new machines make a noise… looks to me like they’re logging the amount of prepay tickets to try to gauge how many people will use the new MyWay system?

but yeah, i’ve seen lots of times when people who dont have prepay tickets still have to pay. in the mean time i am loving all my free bus trips!!

Sir Pompously said :

Eric, the usual stance is if the validator is broken everyone gets a freebie. I have never seen a driver charge a fare if others do not validate, so a very rare occurrence..

Actually on numerous occasions I’ve seen bus drivers charge people for a cash fare and everyone else got to walk on free of charge if they had a ticket in hand.

I got stopped the other day on a bus because once I saw the fluro yellow sign over the validator I put my wallet away, the driver asked to see my ticket.

3 out of 6 buses I have caught this week have been free. But at the same time, 3 out of 6 buses I have attempted to catch this week – not necessarily the same ones – have failed to arrive at all.

So a 50% reliable service for a 50% discount – is that value for money, gentle readers?

Eric, the usual stance is if the validator is broken everyone gets a freebie. I have never seen a driver charge a fare if others do not validate, so a very rare occurrence.

The old Wayfarer Validators are on the way out, ACTION do not seem to be maintaining them anymore (Due to MyWay) according to many drivers (They are at the end of their life anyway). I had three buses where the validator did not work yesterday out of the four ACTION Vehicles I caught, had to validate on the fourth so got my to work journey free.

Felt sorry for the people paying cash fares the other day – anyone with a ticket got on free, those paying cash had to cough up for a ticket. Doesn’t make sense, if you have a ticket, you are getting a free ride!

Unfortunately I suspect teh drivers don’t have much choice? If the machine is broken and a spot check is done as long as passengers have a ticket, it doesn’t matter if it has been validated or not (fare faresaver), and paying passengers will have their single fare ticket. Of course, the last time I got checked to see if I had a ticket in tha last 15 years was…um. Never.

I’m not sure about cars off the road – yesterday every car park in Civic West (including the multi story and the ‘new’ underground one in the building next door) was full by 10am, which is the first time I have seen that happen (not that I drive very often).

dtc said :

Shirley, this should be a front pager for the CT. (and thanks to Leslie Nielson for appearing in 6 of the best 15 comedies ever).

oh, wait. sorry. its the CT.

They’ll find some way to peg it on the Liberals.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I must be catching the wrong busses….

Try the other buses instead.

I’m loving all the free trips. And totally with you AG. Free buses = massive numbers of cars off the roads = good driving for those who can’t/won’t use buses + less road construction bills for all ACT taxpayers.

But I’m a little over having to stand most mornings the whole way in…
More buses needed Mr Roncon!