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MBTA/Keolis moves to capture millions in uncollected train fares


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#1 Sloan

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Posted 26 April 2016 - 08:24 AM

 

 

BOSTON - The MBTA's commuter rail operator has proposed building fare gates at three key Boston railroad stations as part of a strategy to boost revenue by collecting millions of dollars in fares that riders are currently avoiding.

http://www.milfordda...427384/?Start=1

 

 

 

The company also suggested granting additional powers to its conductors, such as enabling them to issue citations, Williams said.

Not a good idea IMO.  :mellow:   Confronting a fare evader can prove problematic and hazardous to the conductor.  Far better to have roving plain clothed security pop in at random.  I saw that at work in England where two guys from security—wearing black raincoats—intimidated and escorted a fare evader off the train at next station. :ph34r: 

Sloan 



#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 26 April 2016 - 09:56 AM


 

 

The company also suggested granting additional powers to its conductors, such as enabling them to issue citations, Williams said.

Not a good idea IMO.  :mellow:   Confronting a fare evader can prove problematic and hazardous to the conductor.  Far better to have roving plain clothed security pop in at random.  I saw that at work in England where two guys from security—wearing black raincoats—intimidated and escorted a fare evader off the train at next station. :ph34r:

Sloan 

 

 

The Keolis conductors have this authority (and duty) on VRE trains; conductors issue a citation to any passenger who does not have a valid ticket.

 

Downside - for any passenger who contests the citation the conductor must have a "court day" scheduled to prosecute the case; similar to a traffic officer prosecuting a traffic ticket.  Fortunately, very few citations are issued and very few of those are contested.

 

Overall the system works very well.

 

Ross



#3 Sloan

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Posted 28 April 2016 - 08:37 AM

 

 

Keolis Proposes New Commuter Rail Fare Collection System to Reduce Fare Evasion and Increase Revenue by $24 Million Annually

 

At the April 25th meeting of the MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board, Keolis presented a new proposal for fare collection that would dramatically reduce fare evasion on the MBTA Commuter Rail system while increasing revenue by up to $24 million annually. Under the Keolis proposal, the MBTA fare collection system would be updated to make it easier to buy tickets, but more difficult to evade fares.

http://www.businessw...llection-System



#4 Sloan

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Posted 06 May 2016 - 09:46 AM

 

 

MBTA takes measures to monitor for evasion on Commuter Rail

 

The MBTA is taking measures to prevent unfair practices on the Commuter Rail. 

Teams set up check points on Commuter Rail platforms at South Station on Thursday. 

http://www.whdh.com/...n-commuter-rail

 

 

That'll help, but to crack down on chronic fare evaders, the T has to employ plain clothed inspectors who board trains randomly.  This tactic has the added benefit of interdicting early on fights or purse snatching.

 

Sloan



#5 Sloan

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Posted 31 May 2016 - 09:27 AM

 

 

Are more conductors collecting commuter rail fares?

 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced recently that it’s losing as much as $42 million a year from what it described as “fare evasion,” largely on its commuter rail trains. But how much of that “evasion” comes from conductors not collecting fares from would-be payers? The Globe asked several staffers to ride the commuter rail for one week in May and see what they found. The upshot? Since the announcement at least, conductors seem to be fairly thorough about asking riders to pay.

https://www.bostongl...deEL/story.html

 

In fairness to conductors, there are occasions where passengers detain train crews asking lengthy complicated questions.  Preferring not to be rude, the conductor does his/her best to respond.  Meanwhile, the process of lifting tickets slows so some passengers may not see a fare collector until several stations have passed.

 

Sloan



#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:21 AM

It would not be impolite for the conductor to say, "Let me finish what I have to do and get back to you", and then return to the conversation when time allows during long runs between stations.



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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 June 2016 - 08:08 PM

Progressive Railroading, 6/17:

 
MBTA projects record commuter-rail fare revenue for FY2016

In fiscal-year 2016, fare revenue on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) commuter-rail system has grown 5.8 percent so far compared with the previous fiscal year.

Total fare revenue for FY2016 is forecast at $215 million, which would mark a new record for the agency, MBTA officials said in a news release. For the month of May, revenue reached $17.8 million.

 

Continue here.



#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 03:07 PM

Metro Magazine, 6/17:
 

Rail systems turn to improved infrastructure, tech to combat fare evaders

 

To stem revenue losses from passengers not paying fares, two transit agencies are implementing new solutions to limit, and hopefully, eliminate fare evaders on their rail systems.

 

Keolis, rail service operator for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), conducted a survey on MBTA’s system and discovered it was losing up to $35 million annually as a result of fare evasion.

 

SNIP

 

Another rail system experimenting with ways to combat fare evasion is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Metro is focusing on two technological innovations: video analytic software and handheld Mobile Phone Validators (MPV), according to Alex Wiggins, Metro executive officer, systems security and law enforcement.

 

The video analytic software will enable Metro’s camera surveillance system to spot anomalies. So, in addition to being able to protect the public by spotting conflicts or suspicious packages, the software solution can also prevent fare evasion, Wiggins said. In areas with gates, the cameras would identify people who don’t use a TAP smart card, hop over turnstiles or walk through exit gates.

 

“We can, in real-time, use [the data] to intervene and have a fare inspector make contact with that individual,” said Wiggins. “But what we’re really looking for are patterns. So, where do we have the highest frequency of fare evasion [and] what time is it occurring, and then, we can dispatch resources to appropriately intervene and ultimately change behavior.”

 

More here.



#9 Sloan

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Posted 17 July 2016 - 08:37 AM

 

 

Commuter rail officials working on better signs, fare collection

 

More changes could be coming to the MBTA’s contract with Keolis Commuter Services, just after the agency agreed to pay the company at least $66 million more over six years.

https://www.bostongl...R0uM/story.html



#10 KevinKorell

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Posted 06 March 2017 - 07:28 PM

Boston, MA Herald, 3/6/17:
 

 

Keolis to unveil plan for fare gates at 3 Boston commuter rail stations

 

The MBTA’s commuter rail operator would construct new fare gates at the system’s three busiest stations, install new ticket machines and allow people to pay for tickets on trains using credit cards as part of an array of proposed changes that could drastically change passengers’ day-to-day commute in and out of Boston.

 

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Kevin Korell


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