AUSTRALIA As many as 65,000 people could be fined for fare evading following the introduction of the Queensland Government’s Tertiary Transport Concession Card.
Scott Emerson, Australian Transport and Main Roads Minister, said the new card has been brought in to crack down on public transport users falsely claiming to be full-time university students in order to receive half-price fares. Since July 1, anyone who has been caught boarding public transport on a concession fare without the card has been fined up to $227 Aus.
“While we estimate 85,000 students are eligible for a concession in South East Queensland, almost double that number, about 150,000 people, have used a Tertiary student go card this year,” he said.
“For years, passengers have raised concerns about ‘students in suits’ where former students who are no longer enrolled in full-time courses continue to use their old ID to get cheap travel.”
Emerson called this practice “unfair to honest passengers,” putting more upward pressure on fare prices.
“We applaud the 65,000 students who have done the right thing and applied for a Tertiary Transport Concession Card.
