Private Buses Weekly Tickets Commence
Starting 1st October 2008, most of the larger private bus companies in 
Sydney now issue weekly tickets. The 131500 web site says: "From today 
weekly bus tickets will start to become available on Sydney's private bus 
services in areas including Hurstville, Sutherland, Miranda, Liverpool, 
Bankstown, Parramatta, Penrith, Richmond, Blacktown, Bonnyrigg, Riverwood 
and Punchbowl.  Initially, those companies selling the tickets will be 
Veolia, Westbus, Hillsbus, Busways, Forest Coaches and Punchbowl Buses, 
with others to follow progressively.  Passengers will be able to purchase 
a seven day ticket from the bus driver that costs the equivalent of eight 
single tickets, similar to CityRail weekly tickets."

Although some 
companies had issued weekly or multi-trip tickets in the past, the 
practice had generally been abandoned in recent years.  However, in its 
2007 review of bus fares, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal 
of NSW (IPART) said:
<i>"For a number of years now IPART has suggested that passengers on 
private metropolitan buses should have access to the same pre-paid 
multi-trip discount tickets as passengers of Sydney Buses. In its fare 
proposal, the Ministry of Transport noted that the Government's integrated 
ticketing project (T-Card) will enable these passengers to have access to 
discount and pre-paid tickets. However, in the light of recent reports of 
further delays in the introduction of the T-Card, IPART considers that the 
Ministry of Transport should again consider introducing interim measures 
to ensure that private bus passengers have access to these tickets."</i>

In the months since that report, Action for Public Transport has followed 
up the progress of these interim tickets with the Ministry, and is pleased 
to report their introduction this week.

Characteristics of the ticket as stated on the brochure, include:
<ul>
<li>can be bought on any day of the week
<li>can be used for seven consecutive days from date of issue and valid 
until midnight on the day of expiry
<li>is valid for travel to and from the origin and destination for the bus 
route printed on the ticket
<li>is purchased from the driver and presented at each boarding
<li>is priced at a 20% discount compared with the cost of 10 single trips
<li>available in adult and concession versions
</ul>

Tickets are issued for the five different price bands - 1-2 sections, 3-5 
sections, etc.

While the price of the ticket is based on the value of ten trips, it 
appears that the ticket can be used an unlimited number of times during 
the week, but only on the route and for the number of sections specified.

There is no mention of if or when the tickets might be sold at agencies.

APTNSW welcomes the introduction of these interim tickets, and is pleased to 
note that the impossible can be done when some prodding is applied. We 
look forward to further improvements towards a future when a passenger can 
use the one standard multi-trip ticket anywhere, without having to know 
who owns or runs the bus.