Page 22 - drive a2b FEB 2020 web

RE GULA TIONS
Fare Evaders,

Runners:

ARE NOT
ARE NOT

ILLEGAL
ILLEGAL

When the Victorian Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry reforms were passed in 2017 the
regulator, Transport for Victoria, in its wisdom, decided that some things were no longer
necessary to have on the list of offences. They said some things did not warrant receiving a
fine.

One of the offences that they struck off the offences list was the fining of passengers who
do not pay their fares. Those passengers who "do a runner" are no longer in breach of
any regulation. The driver has no right to demand the fare! They have no right to make a
citizen's arrest and take the passenger to the nearest Police station so that they can get paid
for the transportation that they have provided. They are just meant to accept the fact that
passengers have all the rights and suffer no consequences for being the driver who agreed to
transport a passenger who had no intention of paying for the trip.

If passengers don't pay the fare to travel on a train, tram or bus, they can be fined a minimum
of $229, yet those who don't pay the taxi, hire car or rideshare fares CAN'T and WON'T be
fined.
22 DRIVE A2B magazine · February 2020