More than $1 million in fare evasion fines have been given out since 50-cent public transport fares kicked off in Queensland, as authorities ramp up their enforcement efforts.
The ABC can reveal that between August 5 — when the new fares began — through to February 2, authorities dished out 3,326 penalties to commuters who did not pay their 50-cent ticket.
Another 21,584 warnings were also given out over the same six-month period, with about two-thirds of those cautions given to minors.
The penalty for fare evasion is $322.
The 3,326 fines equate to $1.07 million in penalties — helping authorities claw back $1,663 in lost revenue that otherwise would have been collected if the commuters paid their 50-cent fare.
The latest fine figures are down from about the same time a year prior, when 5,862 infringement notices were given out between August 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024.
A spokesperson for Translink said paying the correct fare provided the transport agency with patronage data to plan for a “reliable and efficient network”.
“It is a requirement for all passengers travelling on public passenger services to pay a fare for each journey taken,” they said.
“Preventing fare evasion continues to be a priority for Translink so revenue can be reinvested in improved public transport for everyone.
“Translink is encouraged by a reduction in warnings and infringement notices issued since the introduction of 50-cent fares.”
The spokesperson pointed out the reduction had coincided with an increase in compliance activity from authorised officers on the network.
Officers are equipped with devices that allow them to check if a passenger has tapped onto their public transport journey with a go card or smart device.
The latest figures show there has been an upward swing in enforcement activities.
Between August 1 last year and January 31 this year, authorities carried out 592,268 checks compared to 480,708 the same time a year earlier.
Translink set aside $24.7 million in 2024-25 for its transit safety, security, and sustainability budget — which enables the deployment of more than 300 officers.
Translink says those officers combat fare evasion, but also play an “important role in safety and security”.
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said fines were issued for fare evasion offences that were “deliberate and repetitive”.
“Education is always the priority, with a warning typically given in the first instance of fare evasion,”
he said.
“It’s important for commuters to continue tapping on and off, and paying the 50-cent fare, so that we can use the patronage data to ensure a reliable transport network.”
Greens MP Michael Berkman said he wanted fines for fare evasion to stop.
“I can’t see what basis there is,” Mr Berkman said.
“If someone is struggling to just pay for 50-cents to get on a bus or a train, then a penalty infringement notice from Translink is obviously going to hit that person harder than it would anyone else who has no problem with paying for the fares.”
Mr Berkman said the government should work on other ways to collect patronage data and move towards a free public transport system.
