Re: Yarra Trams Article in Sunday Age

["Leon Kernan" <lkernan@hotmail.com>]

What, you missed the big silver box taking up the space of 4 seats?

"Steve" <stephensmith@octa4.net.au> wrote in message
94p17o$rto$1@news1.octa4.net.au">news:94p17o$rto$1@news1.octa4.net.au...
> How about improving the visibility and info on where to purchase tickets.
As
> a recent visitor from the NT I boarded a tram and as I did not see a
> conductor I did not know what to do about purchasing tickets and the
driver
> was not very helpful.
>
> "Railvic" <railvic@primus.com.au> wrote in message
> 3A700340.EB5B4916@primus.com.au">news:3A700340.EB5B4916@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
>
>