Thanks to the introduction of counting cameras on buses and trams, De Lijn has made a remarkable discovery.
The new measurements show that in certain parts of Flanders twice as many passengers ride along as the number of scanned tickets suggests. The difference is particularly significant in large cities such as Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent. The transport company is now adjusting its control policy to tackle fare dodging in a more targeted manner.
De Lijn used to base its calculations on the numbers from the scanners at the entrances and exits of its vehicles. Passengers had to scan their ticket or season ticket when getting on and off. However, with the arrival of the counting cameras, it has become apparent that many buses and trams carry considerably more people than officially registered. On some busy routes in Antwerp, the number of actual passengers appears to be more than double the number of registered journeys. There is also a clear difference in Brussels and Ghent and on the coastal tram, with a factor of 1,5 to 2. In other areas, the difference amounts to up to one and a half times the number of scanned passengers.
According to De Lijn, this does not automatically mean that all these extra passengers are fare dodgers. CEO Ann Schoubs clarifies: “There are also fare dodgers, people who do have a valid subscription, but who forgot to scan it when boarding.” In addition, there are passengers who use digital tickets that do not require a physical scan, such as text message tickets or tickets purchased via the De Lijn app or a banking app. These m-tickets are particularly popular on the coast, which may partly explain the differences.
However, De Lijn is not leaving it at that. The transport company uses the data from the counting cameras to make the checks on fare dodging more efficient. “On vehicles where we see a greater difference between the number of registrations of tickets and the counting cameras, we can assume that there may be more fare dodgers,” says De Lijn. “That is why we are deploying our inspectors more specifically on these lines.”
The fight against fare dodging is an important spearhead for De Lijn. The transport company loses millions of euros annually on unpaid rides and wants to limit these losses as much as possible. The introduction of the counting cameras is a game changer, because the actual occupancy of the vehicles is now registered much more accurately.
Although the control actions are being intensified, De Lijn continues to focus on awareness and prevention. Passengers are repeatedly reminded of the importance of scanning, even if they have a season ticket. Anyone caught without a valid ticket risks a fine of up to 200 euros.
The question remains whether this measure will be sufficient in the long term to effectively discourage fare dodging. Mobility experts suggest that a system in which passengers are automatically detected and paid upon boarding, as in some foreign cities, could be a solution. For the time being, however, De Lijn is focusing on a combination of targeted checks and awareness-raising to get the problem under control.
