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In Berlin, they usually enter the train in groups of 3-4, so they are able to check every person in one wagon in between two stops. You also see them pretty oft
by hobofan 5y ago
In Berlin, they usually enter the train in groups of 3-4, so they are able to check every person in one wagon in between two stops. You also see them pretty often at a station collecting the details of someone who didn't have a ticket.
I think both of those factors push most people in Berlin to buy a ticket. With a fine of 60 EUR the staff already pays for itself if they pick up ~2 people/hour, which sounds very realistic. If they then on top also have the effect of increasing the percentage of paying riders by a tiny amount, the whole program is quickly turning a profit.
- csunbird 5y agoThat is what I see as well. Not sure why they just don’t give free passes to students and people with low income instead.
- black_puppydog 5y agoYou forget the cost it incurs when someone gets caught (and sometimes jailed!) for chicken-shit like this. Edit to add some context: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/haft-nach-schwarzfahren-und-anderen-delikten-mehr-als-900-menschen-wegen-nicht-bezahlter-strafen-in-berliner-gefaengnissen/25517014.html https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/haft-nach-schwarzfahren-u... Consider this article from Berlin where a sizeable number of people in jail are there for riding without a ticket. The cost of that needs to be taken into account here.
- hadlock 5y agoIn germany, they'll put you in jail for fare evasion? I've always seen it done as a fine and they kick you off the train at the next stop.
- sveme 5y agoIt's extremely rare that that happens. It's typically considered a criminal offence if you are caught twice in two years, but rarely anyone is following up on that. Only really frequent repeaters are really prosecuted.