Yarra Trams Article in Sunday Age

[Morphet <morphet@optusnet.com.au>]

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