Re: Pension deals run Tilt Train profit off rails

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"MattyQ" <mattyq1009@dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
3a2909c6$0$19441$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:3a2909c6$0$19441$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
>
> "David Bromage" <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
> news:1oBV5.17$_42.2009@news0.optus.net.au...
> > More than half the passengers on Queensland Rail's high-speed Tilt Train
> > are travelling virtually for free or on heavily discounted fares.
>
> This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions in the rail industry.
The
> pensioner does not travel free of charge. The fare is paid to QR by the
> Department of Social Security (or Centrelink or whatever their name is
this
> week).

No it isn't - it is paid to the rail authority (for the free trips) by the
state government concerned. Which is why NSW pensioners get first class
travel, Victorian get second class travel, etc. The difference between full
fare and concession on the interstate trunk routes is paid by the
Commonwealth Dept. of Transport, which is why the trunk routes (Brisbane to
Sydney to Adelaide - either way - to Perth) has concessions for pensioners
from all over Australia, whereas intrastate concessions are generally state
specific (apart from NSW and Victoria, which have agreements).

> Sure, it is free to the passenger but QR still gets its fare money.
> The term "freeloaders" certainly does not apply.

Of course it does. They don't pay a thing, yet they expect the world whilst
travelling.

Dave