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

NEWS RELEASE: Beat the Bus Fare Rise

posted Saturday 1 December 2007

Regular users of prepaid bus tickets can beat the coming fare rise by stocking up before the new prices start in January, according to a transit consumer group. Allan Miles, spokesman for Action for Public Transport, said that commuters should buy a supply of the tickets now and give themselves a Christmas present. "The price of TravelTens is expected to increase by six per cent in January,", Mr Miles said, "and TravelPasses without rail content will also increase by $2." TravelTens already save time and money compared to paying single fares to the bus driver," Mr Miles said. "Each TravelTen trip saves twenty per cent on the cash fare, and regular users have a chance now to save more money." Mr Miles said that these popular tickets have no expiry date, so they can be bought now and used at any time.

"A two-section bus trip today costs $1.70, and is expected to increase to at least $1.80," Mr Miles said. "A two-section Blue TravelTen now cost s $13.60," he said, "and is expected to rise to $14.40. Therefore a TravelTen bought now and used after January would give you a $1.80 ride still for $1.36, a saving of 44 cents or 25 percent. "The Blue, Orange, Two-Zone, and Pittwater weekly TravelPasses will increase by $2.00," Mr Miles said, "and these can also be bulk-purchased in advance." Mr Miles warned that this only applies to TravelPasses bought from newsagents and the like. Tickets bought from railway stations are dated on purchase and must be used immediately.

"Long term users of TravelPasses can lock in even bigger savings," Mr Miles said, "by ordering quarterly or yearly tickets before the price rise is announced. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) determination on new fares is expected in early December, so applicants should order season tickets now. Mr Miles said that prices of TravelPass tickets that include rail will not increase because their price changed when rail fares increased in November.

Contact: Allan Miles 9516-1906

Action for Public Transport home page