6 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, Auckland 0612
Private Bag 92250, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Ph 09 355 3553
Fax 09 355 3550
6 November 2014
P Adams
[FYI request #2095 email] Dear P Adams
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)
CAS-411052-B4S1G1
Thank you for your email dated 9 October 2014, which Auckland Transport received on the same date requesting:
An estimate of the daily revenue lost through passengers travelling on trains for free (boarding trains
without tagging on and off),
An estimate of the number of passengers using trains each day before the HOP card system was
introduced, &
An estimate of the number of passengers using the trains each day currently.
An estimate of the daily revenue lost through passengers travelling on trains for free
The total network rate of evasion is calculated by weighting by total passenger trips the number of identified fare
evaders travelling through gated stations and fare evaders travelling between un-gated stations. The following
table shows a working calculation
as an example:
Station(s)
Total Passenger
Passenger Trips
Passenger Trips
% Fare Evasion
Trips identified
Checked (via
Identified Without
(from AT HOP)
electronic gates or
Valid Ticket (at
Ticket Inspectors)
gateline or Ticket
Inspectors)
Britomart (gated)
35,000
35,000
525
1.5%
Newmarket (gated)
5,000
5,000
100
2%
Manukau (gated)
2,000
2,000
50
2.5%
Trips between
10,000
1,000 sample
100 of 1,000 = 10%,
10%
ungated stations
inspected by Ticket
therefore 10% of
Inspectors
10,000 =1,000
52,000
1,675
3.2%
* >99.5% of all passengers at gated stations are considered to be subject to validation and/or inspection
** The fare evasion rate identified for non-gated stations is based on the % of customers found with invalid tickets out of the sample inspection.
www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz
For the period July to September 2014 there have been over 300,000 ticketing checks undertaken with
approximately 5.5% of customers identified as not having a ticket.
Based on annual passenger numbers of 11.5m and an average fare of $2.61, Auckland Transport estimates an
annual loss due to fare evasion of approximately $1,650,852 or $4,523 per day. However, it is important to note
this calculation is based on estimated figures as we are not able to accurately determine the fare value of each
trip where a customer is identified as travelling without a valid ticket.
An estimate of the number of passengers using trains each day before the HOP card system was
introduced
The average number of passengers using trains in the three months July to September 2012 (immediately prior to
introduction of the AT HOP system) is 38,300 per business day. This calculation is based on the date the ticket
was travelled.
It is important to note that under the old manual ticketing system, passenger journeys were calculated on the day
the ticket was purchased, which was not necessarily the day of travel (for example travel using monthly passes
and ten-ride tickets would be spread over multiple days).
An estimate of the number of passengers using the trains each day currently
The average number of ticketed passengers for the three months July to September 2014 is 45,800 per business
day. This number does not include special event travel (where travel is included within the event ticket).
Passenger journeys under the AT HOP system are calculated based on the day of travel from the AT HOP card
and paper ticket transactions (paper tickets are now valid for two hours from the time of purchase and therefore
cannot be used for travel on a different day).
There are many factors that influence the number of passengers using the trains, including school and tertiary
holidays, recent station upgrades (particularly Panmure and Manukau), frequency of service and the gradual
introduction of electric trains. The AT HOP system has also increased the travel options for customers as they can
now use the same ticket to travel on buses, trains or ferries and are no longer “tied” to a particular transport option
by the type of ticket they are holding.
We trust the above information has addressed the matters raised however, should you believe that we have not
responded appropriately to your request, you have the right in accordance with section 27(3) of the LGOIMA to
make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman to seek an investigation and review in regard to this matter.
If you have any further queries please contact Auckland Transport on 355 3553 quoting Official Information request
number CAS-411052-B4S1G1.
Yours sincerely
Mark Lambert
Group Manager Public Transport
www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz
