Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

In the past, any intending passenger could wait at any bus stop and pay for a single journey by giving cash to the bus driver. From the beginning of September 2007, State Transit has ceased selling single trip tickets at its evening peak hour “Pre-Pay” bus stop for outbound 500 series services in Druitt Street, Sydney.

Since November 2006, when the stop went pre-paid during the evening peak, passengers without prepaid multi-trip or periodical tickets have been able to purchase a single trip ticket from the kerbside “conductor”. This is no longer the case.

Intending “single trip” passengers must now leave the stop and purchase their single-trip ticket at one of the nearby retail outlets. This may incur considerable delay for the prospective passenger. It may also cause confusion, as retail cashiers cannot be expected to have the same depth of knowledge of the bus network as do State Transit staff.

APT is concerned that the new policy discriminates against occasional bus users. While the Druitt Street stop only functions briefly as a pre-paid stop, we fear that the policy may spread – that it may be “the thin end of the wedge”.

Our secondary concern is that this policy change has not been widely canvassed. Brochures were distributed prior to the change, but so far as we are aware, only at this particular stop.

APT supports pre-pay services when they supplement standard “pay-the-driver” services. We do not support changes which discourage occasional travellers, or which make bus travel more complex or frustrating.

APT has suggested to State Transit that it review its policy. We await a reply.