New card stamps out transport rort

As many as 65,000 people could be fined for fare evading following the introduction of the Queensland Government’s Tertiary Transport Concession Card.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the new card was brought in to crack down on public transport users falsely claiming to be full-time university students in order to receive half-price fares.

“While we estimate 85,000 students are eligible for a concession in South East Queensland, almost double that number or about 150,000 people have used a Tertiary student go card this year,” Mr Emerson said.

“While we have a strong plan for a brighter future, Labor has no plan and was prepared to sit back and allow this rort to continue, costing taxpayers almost $8 million a year.

“For years, passengers have raised concerns about “students in suits” where former students who are no longer enrolled in full-time courses continue to use their old ID to get cheap travel.

“That is unfair to honest passengers and rorting puts more upward pressure on fares.

“The LNP Government has ended Labor's policy of annual 15 per cent fare increases with the recent budget capping fare increases for the next three years at 2.5 per cent - below the inflation rate - and we are determined to stamp out rorting as well.

“We applaud the 65,000 students who have done the right thing and applied for a Tertiary Transport Concession Card and encourage other eligible students to apply now.”

Mr Emerson said from Tuesday (July 1) anyone caught catching public transport on a concession fare without this card will be fined.

“Senior Network Officers have been handing out information to students advising them about the need to get the new cards since it was introduced earlier this year,” he said.

“The grace period is now up and if you do the wrong thing on our network you will be caught and risk fines of up to $227.”

Status as a full-time internal student is now determined by universities after the LNP ended Labor’s policy of requiring university student's to attend at least 12 hours of contact time to be classed as full-time.

For more information on the Tertiary Transport Concession Card, visit the TransLink website www.translink.com.au/tertiarycard or phone 13 12 30.

[ENDS] 30 June 2014 

Media contact: Stephanie Shield 0418 186 625