The Challenge of Measuring Fraud in Public Transport
Methods, Limitations and the Assistance of AI

The Challenge of Measuring Fraud in Public Transport, Transit, Fare Evasion, AI, video analytics Midjourney image prompted by AWAAIT

Challenges in Measuring Fare Evasion Fraud in public transportation is a major issue that causes significant financial and operational challenges for public transport operators. However, accurately measuring the extent of fare evasion is a challenging task, as current methods of measuring fare evasion have significant limitations. The good news is that artificial intelligence (AI)...

4x more fare evasion on Dutch buses during Covid-19
Offenders took advantage of back-door bus boarding and reduced fare inspections to avoid paying

Bus in Amsterdam © Alexandre Debieve / Unsplash

The Covid-19 outbreak imposes a new set of sanitary rules to prevent the spread of the virus infection. For public transport users, this basically resumes to social distancing, and wearing face masks. Public transport companies also took extra preventive measures such as back-door bus boarding, and vehicle and station disinfection. Unfortunately some travellers see...

Ticket inspections resume on Stockholm’s public transport
The controls must now take into account Covid-19 safety measures

Stockholm tram

After a two-and-a-half-month break during the coronavirus outbreak, Stockholm’s public transport operator SL is resuming ticket controls. As of mid-June, ticket inspectors are running regular controls on the subway. Since June 29, they are also checking tickets on buses and trams. For controls on buses, inspectors are checking tickets when travellers disembark. The inspectors...

Increased fare evasion rates during the pandemic
Data from an ongoing study reveals that fare infractions might rise even more post-lockdown unless preventive measures are taken in time

Fake cards are hacked original tickets EL SOTANO PHOTO http://www.elsotanophoto.com/

The past months have been a challenging time for public transport due to Covid-19. Many transit workers lost their lives, ridership plummeted to record levels, and revenues from fare collection dropped massively. Fare evasion might be one a small problem for transit at the moment, but is it one to be completely ignored? Our...

Brussels’ STIB-MIVB considers anonymity for ticket inspectors after fare dodger attack
STIB ticket fines bear the names of the inspectors issuing them

Metro in Brussels © Sebastien Le Derout / Unsplash

A recent attack on a ticket inspector in Brussels has prompted the city’s public transport operator STIB-MIVB to reconsider the disclosure of their names. An inspector who issued a fine to a man who crossed the turnstiles without paying was assaulted by the fraudster at his home a few days later. STIB representatives said...

Crackdown on fare dodgers in Genoa, Italy
2.876 passengers were checked and 110 fines were issued in an operation which involved 22 ticket inspectors and local police agents

amt_genoa_italy_public_transport_bus

In its efforts to fight fare evasion, Genoa’s public transport company ATM conducted another major ticket inspection operation on its network on Thursday 3rd October 2019. The operation involved 22 ticket inspector officers who were accompanied by local police agents. In total, 2,876 passengers on 231 buses were checked, of which 110 (3,8%) were convicted...

Extra measures to fight fare dodging on Rome’s ATAC public transport network in 2019
In the first 7 months of 2019, 36% more passengers were checked and 42% more fines were issued, compared to the same period in 2018

Rome's fare evasion crackdown

With four million trips taken daily on Rome’s ATAC network, the public transport operator is taking extra measures to ensure that its revenue is not affected by fare evasion. In the first 7 months of 2019, 2 million 200 thousand passengers were checked (36% more than the same period in 2018), and 134 thousand...

Transport for New South Wales takes tougher measures to reduce fare evasion
Since the implementation of the Opal Card in 2012 fare evasion has been in decline but it still cost taxpayers $83m in 2018

NSW_train_perry_c_unsplash

Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) released new fare evasion figures. Reports show that the highest fare evasion rate has been on the Hunter line – at 13.6% over one year, equaling to revenue losses of about $351.000. TfNSW issued $1.4m in fines on this line from June 2018 to May 2018. In total,...

Metrolinx to save 3.75M by tackling fare evasion in 2019-2020
Fare evasion is lower in Canada compared to other parts of the world but a recent report indicates 15M loss yearly

Go Transit Train in Canada

Ontario’s Regional Transportation Agency Metrolinx has recently reported that it aims to save as much as 3.75M in 2019-2020 by taking a stricter stance on fare evasion on its network. This would amount to about 25% reduction in fraudulent incidents. As cited by the agency, most of the incidents happen on the Go Transit system...