Undercover ticket inspectors?

Davexirl

I was recently in Berlin and noticed that the ticket inspectors all wear plain clothes, why don't CIE introduce something similar here? Or do we just not have that many ticket inspectors?

First day over there we were checked by 3 inspectors. Over here I'm probably only checked 2-3 times a year. It be good to see this on the luas/trains, people here see the inspectors coming in their bright orange jackets and can jump off over in Berlin the inspectors have the element of surprise and blend in well.

Losty Dublin

Davexirl wrote: »

I was recently in Berlin and noticed that the ticket inspectors all wear plain clothes, why don't CIE introduce something similar here? Or do we just not have that many ticket inspectors?

First day over there we were checked by 3 inspectors. Over here I'm probably only checked 2-3 times a year. It be good to see this on the luas/trains, people here see the inspectors coming in their bright orange jackets and can jump off over in Berlin the inspectors have the element of surprise and blend in well.

I understand that the laws relating to fixed penalty notices state that they must be identifiable as inspectors.

cgcsb

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I understand that the laws relating to fixed penalty notices state that they must be identifiable as inspectors.

They produce ID when approaching you for your ticket. It's very common in German cities. The thing is they don't have the power to detain, so you can tell them to f off and walk away same as here.

murphaph

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I understand that the laws relating to fixed penalty notices state that they must be identifiable as inspectors.

Berlin inspectors show their ID badge when asking your for your ticket. Surely that would suffice and if not, change the bloody bye-law!

Under cover inspectors are much more effective. They are the norm, not just in Berlin but across Germany.

They usually board in 2 or 3 at either end of a carriage and work towards the middle. Most if not all systems in Germany have open platforms and the buses often allow you to enter using rear doors, so random checks are obviously more important in such systems!

smellmepower

Same in London on the Underground,usually 2 plainclothes lads.

Have never had my ticket checked on a bus here,only on DART and LUAS the odd time.

goingnowhere

There are undercover ticket inspectors out there.

The rules require only that the inspector is authorised to check tickets as required by the byelaws

Irish Rail staff carry a warrant card, brass in a black leather cover, that is sufficient.

There is the story of the luas fare evader who thought he was great telling his mate that he had no ticket, bad move when there was a Luas manager sitting next to him. I didn't end well for the fare evader...

Del2005

I got checked by undercover inspectors on the Luas a few years ago. Tram was fairly busy and just after it pulled from a stop they pulled out badges and started checking from both ends, think there was 4 of them.

Haven't seen them since but I've moved from Green to Red and rarely use public transport.

hfallada

The best incentive to get people to pay the proper fare is a large fine. €50 until last year was a ridiculously low fine for Dublin bus. It made more sense to get fined a few times a year and use a child prepaid ticket, than buy an adult prepaid ticket.

If there was actual inspector on buses people would pay the proper fare. But I generally see more inspectors standing at bus stops drinking coffee rather than issuing fine( I know it sounds like a generalization, but I see the same group of CIE inspector chatting anytime of the day in town). Its miracle that they are replacing the easily forged travel passes/

I feel sorry for Bus drivers that have to drive buses, issue tickets and act as inspectors too, as inspectors are never to be seen. Bus drivers are doing the real job of ensuring people are paying the proper fares

Victor

hfallada wrote: »

The best incentive to get people to pay the proper fare is a large fine. €50 until last year was a ridiculously low fine for Dublin bus.

It's more about getting caught than the actual amount of the fine. Big fines aren't much use if people aren't caught.

If there was actual inspector on buses people would pay the proper fare. But I generally see more inspectors standing at bus stops drinking coffee rather than issuing fine( I know it sounds like a generalization, but I see the same group of CIE inspector chatting anytime of the day in town).

They are there to manage the buses, not check tickets.

AlekSmart

Del2005 wrote: »

I got checked by undercover inspectors on the Luas a few years ago. Tram was fairly busy and just after it pulled from a stop they pulled out badges and started checking from both ends, think there was 4 of them.

Haven't seen them since but I've moved from Green to Red and rarely use public transport.

Oh Oh.....This may not end well at all,at all.........:eek:

Alias G

Victor wrote: »

It's more about getting caught than the actual amount of the fine. Big fines aren't much use if people aren't caught.

If the fine is as low as 50 or 100, you can easily rack up that amount and more in evaded fares over a short period before being caught. The fine is therefore too low.

David086

Was actually asked for my ticket this morning by a man in plain clothes from Transdev. Was also asked for my ticket a couple of months ago by someone from the RPA. Both had ID on them.

Ben D Bus

Davexirl wrote: »

I was recently in Berlin and noticed that the ticket inspectors all wear plain clothes, why don't CIE introduce something similar here? Or do we just not have that many ticket inspectors?

First day over there we were checked by 3 inspectors.

That's interesting as I was there a couple of weeks ago. Did loads of travelling on the S-bahn & U-bahn and didn't get checked once. Maybe you were just there on a pre-planned high profile ticket check day?

It took a while to get used to the complete lack of barriers at the stations

grimbergen

There are undercover checkers on the luas, I've seen them a few times. They're usually young guys. Bizarrely they also have dictaphones and are usually asking and recording each person's last stop. Does anybody know why?

goingnowhere

They are not inspectors

They are part of the RPA contract supervision of Transdev, they gather statistical data on passenger usage as well as record the number of passengers without a ticket.

Transdev get penalised if the fare evasion rate is above a set limit.

grimbergen

goingnowhere wrote: »

They are not inspectors

They are part of the RPA contract supervision of Transdev, they gather statistical data on passenger usage as well as record the number of passengers without a ticket.

Transdev get penalised if the fare evasion rate is above a set limit.

So they have no powers i.e. issue fines etc? What do they say when they come across a fare evader

Victor

grimbergen wrote: »

So they have no powers i.e. issue fines etc? What do they say when they come across a fare evader

Record the situation and if the overall level of evasion is above the set level, they charge Transdev.

Grimebox

Have CIE rolled this out on Luas now?

LXFlyer

Grimebox wrote: »

Have CIE rolled this out on Luas now?

CIE don't run LUAS.

Grimebox

Have they rolled this out on Luas now?

LXFlyer

If you read the thread you'll get your answer!

Grimebox

lxflyer wrote: »

If you read the thread you'll get your answer!

Cheers. I scanned but only saw stuff about Berlin and folk gathering statistical passenger data.

Seems to be some isolated cases of plain clothes inspectors, but isn't the norm