Last Outbound Tram and Fare Dodging......

[Gareth Lumsden <s9763278@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au>]

On Friday night / Saturday morning I caught the last outbound tram from
Flinders St to Malvern Depot (route 7).  For those who don't know, this is
formed by the 02:05am arrival at Flinders St Station from St Kilda Beach
(route 16).  

Anyway, because is was still around 30 degrees (being 42 degrees that
day), this service was very well patronised, mostly by surprised people
who thought the trams had finished for the night.  I estimate, all up,
about 80 people got on the tram at various places.  I kept a good eye on
the ticket machine and counted how many people actually bought a ticket -
Only TWO people!!

My point - if connies were still on the trams, this would be a very
profitable service.  But, because the government relies on
the "honesty"  of hot, intoxicated, tired commuters at 2 am in the
morning, Messcard is not making money.  In fact route 16 trams could run
all night on hot summer nights and still be profitable if they had
conductors.

That's my piece said, anybody got a comment?

Gareth

P.S.  For anyone who's interested, Flinders St Station to Malvern Depot
trams (via High St) run every weeknight/morning, departing Flinders St
just after 01:05, 01:35 and 02:05am.


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              Gareth Lumsden,   RMIT University Student
         E-MAIL (text only) : s9763278@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au
           E-MAIL (secondary account) : glums112@yahoo.com
 GARETH'S RAILWAY WEB PAGE:  http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/~s9763278
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