Re: Yarra Trams Article in Sunday Age

[Railvic <railvic@primus.com.au>]

A very good response ... If you don't want to pay because of various
reasons, don't use the service.  Afterall, why should public transport
be any different to airlines?  If you don't pay, you simply don't board
the plane and fly!!

Morphet wrote:
> 
> Sunday Age
> 21/1/2001
> Page 14
> 
> A Fare question
> 
> I ask Mr Kevin Murray (Letters, 14/1) and his fellow fare-evaders on
> our trams, if they would please explain what makes them so speical.
> Why is it that the majority of customers who pay for their fares must
> subsidise your free travel?  Why should you have a seat for free when
> the man standing beside you has taken responsibility for his actions
> and paid for the service he is using?
> 
> Trams are not a free service and they do not cost peanuts to operate.
> Would you expect to take a taxi and not pay your fare simply because
> yiou didn't agree with the way management ran their business?
> 
> Blaming the lack of conductors may be a convenient excuse but it does
> not juistify your behavior.  We are not in the business of providing
> conductors, if this was the case you could refuse to pay for
> non-delivery of service.  We are in the business of transporting
> people.  You choose to be transported, so please pay for the service.
> 
> I offer you a simple choice, Mr Murray: either pay for the service you
> are using or stop using it.  If as you say, you do not wish to support
> our shareholders (half of whom are Australian) please find some other
> way to travel.  Let me assume you that there are many paying
> passengers who would appreciate your giving up the tram seat you
> occupy.
> 
> Yarra Trams has invested, and will continue to invest a substantial
> amount of money in improving its trams and its network.  We are in
> this business for the long term and we know that the only way to be
> profitable will be by delivering an excellent service.   In the next
> few years, we have a lot of work to do to achive this objective.  The
> State Government subsidises the cost of running our tram business in
> recognition of the fact that they were not profitable when they were
> offered for privatisation.  This contribution will dry up
> progressively  over the next few years.
> 
> Consequently, with these facts in mind, we have introduced a series of
> improvements to timetables to improve frequency and reliability.  We
> aare improving and fefurbishing our existing fleet of 200 trams and
> later this year we will bring more that 30 brand-new, low floor trams
> to Melbourne.
> 
> These trams will provide greater access for the elderly and disabled
> and will lead the way for the city to have the best tram service in
> the world.
> 
> Mr Murry, think again before you next choose to fare evade.  If you do
> not elect to buy a fare, be aware that you are breaking the law and
> will be fined.   Also, you can be assured that you are not welcome on
> Yarra Trams.
> 
> Hubert Goyot
> C.E.O. Yarra Trams