- Ensure improved collection of revenue and reduce fare evasion and risk for passengers caring cash.
- Remove revenue losses for omnibus operators and the state.
Electronic Fare Ticketing (Omnibus) Regulations 2017, Electronic Fare Ticketing (Omnibus)(Amendment) Regulations 2017 and Electronic Fare Ticketing (Omnibus) (Amendment) Regulations 2018
Frequently asked questions (FAQS) based on Electronic Fare Ticketing system
1. I have seen some LTA officers checking bus cards on buses. What is this all about?
LTA authorized officers are monitoring and enforcing E-ticketing regulations. They are checking buscards cards to ensure that passengers are paying correct fares while travelling on the buses. All passengers must use buscards cards to make bus fare payment.
2.Tell me about bus fare payment.
All passengers must pay bus fares required to reach his or her destinations. A person who contravenes this, commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
3. Can a person use their buscard or permit the use of their buscard to pay the bus fare of another person?
use their buscard or permit the use of their buscard to pay the bus fare of another Yes a person can person, however a subsidised student, a non-subsidised student and a subsidised senior citizen or person with disability must not use their buscard to pay the bus fare of another person. A person who is not entitled to a concession must not use a concession buscard to pay their bus fare. Any person who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
4. Can a bus driver accept another person’s bus fare from another person’s buscard?
A bus driver can accept payment of another person’s bus fare from another person’s card. However a bus driver must not accept payment of another person’s bus fare from a subsidised student, a non-subsidised student and a subsidised senior citizen or person with disability. A driver who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
5 . Can an Authorized LTA officer request any person in possession of a buscard to produce the buscard for inspection?
Yes, an Authorized LTA Officer may request any person in possession of a buscard to produce the buscard for inspection. Where a person has been requested to provide a buscard, he or she must provide the buscard in his or her possession. Any person who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
6. What if a person’s bus fare is paid by another person?
Where a person’s bus fare has been paid by another person, he or she must provide the authorized officer evidence of payment. A person who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
7. Can a person be required to surrender the buscard?
An Authorized LTA Officer may direct the holder of a buscard to surrender the buscard if the Officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that the buscard may be required as evidence or that its surrender is necessary for the enforcement of the ACT and Regulations. The holder of the buscard must comply with the directions made by an Authorised Officer. Any person who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $150.
8. How can Authorised LTA officers identify passengers when they are to issue them with a fixed penalty?
An Authorised Officer may direct a person who has committed an offence to provide a national photo identification document to verify their identity. Where a person does not have a national photo identification document, the person should provide their true name and place of residence. A person must comply with the directions made by an Authorised Officer. Any person who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $500 or imprisonment for one year .
9. Is a non-subsidised student eligible to a concession of 50% of the adult fare?
Yes, a non-subsidised student eligible to a concession of 50% of the adult fare.
10. When a person commits an offence, what can happen to that person?
An Authorised Officer may issue a fixed penalty Notice to a person who commits a fixed penalty offence.
11. Within what time frame can an authorised officer issue a fixed penalty notice?
An authorised officer can issue and dispatch a Fixed Penalty Notice with 21 days from the date of offence committed and beyond this point it is deemed invalid.
12. How can an Authorised Officer dispatch a Fixed Penalty Notice?
An Authorised Officer can serve the Fixed Penalty Notice personally upon the person alleged to have committed the offence, or at the registered owner of the buscard’s physical address last recorded by the solution provider upon a person who resides there, provided the person is not below the age of 18 years.
13. What are the options to a person who receives a fixed penalty notice?
A person to whom the Fixed Penalty Notice is issued, is liable to a fixed penalty and must, within 30 days from the date of Fixed Penalty Notice is issued, pay the fixed penalty in a single payment or by installment or elect to dispute the fixed penalty in court.
14. What will happen in the case where a person who is issued a Fixed Penalty Notice does not undertake any of the action mentioned above within 30 days.
If a person to whom a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued does not take any of the actions mentioned above within 30 days, the person is liable to pay a late payment fee in addition to the fixed penalty.
15. What will happen if a person does not undertake any actions mentioned above within 44 days from the date of fixed penalty notice is issued?
If a person does not undertake any actions mentioned above within 44 days from the date of fixed penalty notice is issued, an authorised officer may institute proceedings against the person and seek from the court a sentence providing for the maximum penalties for the offence.
16 .In the case where a person to whom a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued has paid their fixed penalty within the prescribed period, what happens?
All proceedings instituted by the Fixed Penalty Notice are deemed to have been dismissed.
17. What is the evidence of acceptance of a fixed penalty notice?
A certificate signed by an authorised officer stating that the fixed penalty was or was not paid must, unless the contrary is proved, be conclusive evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.
18. How will the tourist travel on buses? And what if I forget my E-ticketing card at home?
A bus operator must ensure that disposable buscards are available for sale at all times on any bus owned by the bus operator. Any operator who contravenes the above commits an offence and is liable to a fixed penalty of $1,000. Where a bus operator fails to pay the fixed penalty and a late payment fee within the prescribed period, the bus operator is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
19. What if the machine on the bus is not working?
The bus operator must ensure that their buses are fitted and operational with a buscard reader at a place accessible by passengers boarding and disembarking the bus. The bus operator must ensure that while the bus operates without a buscard reader or operates with an inoperable buscard reader, the driver must allow any passengers to travel on the bus to their intended destination without paying the fare. The bus operator must also ensure that the driver’s accepts payment of fares through a buscard used on a buscard reader only. Any operator who contravenes omits an offence and is liable to affix penalty of $5 ,000.00
20. What happens in case a driver continues to offend?
Each time a driver commits an offence, the driver will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. Those drivers found to be continuously offending will be called in for show-cause to answer why their driving licence should not be cancelled. If they do not provide a satisfactory explanation, their drivers licence may be suspended or cancelled based on the severity of their offences.