Overtime at the STM: Journal report
The Journal de Montréal claims that a few metro drivers have doubled their salaries by working overtime, and a sidebar on TVA claims that some STM bus drivers are working enough overtime to be dangerously tired.
The Journal also tries to make a scandal of people boarding buses without paying. Do they really want more Gestapo-like detachments of inspectors slowing things down by boarding buses and demanding to see papers? Drivers know the main thing is to keep things moving: if their fare machine is not working reliably or if someone’s card isn’t reading, they usually just wave people past, because they know their purpose is not primarily to collect fares or check passes, it’s to drive.
Ephraim 09:25 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
There are two SIMPLE choices… if we are on the honour system, then we need inspectors. If we aren’t on the honour system, then the driver has to spend needless time checking everyone’s payment. There is no great choice, here.
Kate 12:07 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
We’re on a semi-honour system already, since people can board buses by back doors at some metro stations, without having to pass by the driver.
Spi 12:58 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
“Gestapo like-detachments” Is a dubious analogy to use especially since it’s exactly what they do in Germany. It doesn’t slow anything down, they do their checks while the train/bus is in service and are generally in sufficient numbers that they can get through a wagon really quickly and you can’t just escape detection.
walkerp 14:51 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
How much is it really costing? Is this about revenue and efficient use of the service or moral self-righteousness?
Tee Owe 14:53 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
Let’s not get Godwin-ish here – this is exactly what they do in London, Denmark, Netherlands, everywhere – the reason it works so well is that everyone has paid, and almost everybody is using electronic systems that can be scanned with handheld readers.
Joey 14:54 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
Reminds me of a conversation I had with a parking enforcement guy the other day. I was biking up a street with lane lines painted on both sides (one-way street with bikes going with and against traffic). We cyclists kept having to bike around cars double-parked in the bike lanes. The meter maid was parked in his car printing out a ticket for a car that was illegally parked in a sticker zone. I asked him whether he was allowed to give tickets to the double-parked cars. He said he was, but that he was tolerating their double-parking since they had apparently told him they needed to double-park to drop stuff off and wouldn’t be long. Moral of the story: we are too busy debating how strongly to enforce fare evasion on our super-saturated transit system to bother ticketing double-parked cars.
steph 20:41 on 2019-06-10 Permalink
Unfortunately when the STM-cops board buses to check fares, the bus is halted in its route until they’re done checking everyone’s fare.
Brett 07:21 on 2019-06-11 Permalink
Also lending credibility to Kate’s WWII era metaphor is that fare inspectors in the STM really do resemble police and are practically armed to the teeth. When I’ve seen inspectors outside of the STM or the TTC in Toronto, they are dressed the same as anyone you would find seated behind the ticket counter.
SMD 10:26 on 2019-06-11 Permalink
A third, simple choice: free public transit. There’s a petition.
Ant6n 12:43 on 2019-06-11 Permalink
It’s not an honor system, it’s Proof-of-purchase. Honor system implies no inspectors, and no possible repercussion for not paying except your honor.
I know of at least one system that actually uses this, u put a dollar in a box when boarding, but nobody ever checks.