Australian Capital Territory

Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Regular Route Services Maximum Fare Determination 2011 (No 1)

Disallowable instrument DI2011–275

made under the

Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Act 2001, section 23 (Regular route services – power to determine maximum fares)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This instrument provides maximum fares charged to customers using the ACTION bus system.  The instrument revokes the previous transitional, maximum fare determination of 2011 (DI2011 -19).

The instrument contains the fares for MyWay smart cards and cash fares.  The former magnetic ticket system no longer exists under this determination.

Part A of the Schedule provides fares under the MyWay smart card system.  The fare system allows for caps on the amount charged either as a total cost per day or, as the case with a monthly cap, the number of trips taken.  For example, the instrument introduces a monthly cap trip of 36 trips (26 trips for school students) in a calendar month meaning that any additional trips will be at no cost during that month.  A trip is a single fare including any transfers made within 90 minutes. 

It is a condition of travel using a MyWay card, that passengers tag on and off the bus they are travelling on.  If a customer does not comply with this requirement then they will be charged a default fare equivalent to the standard cash fare for the trip.  Special arrangements apply for default fares after a passenger reaches the cap fare.

Part B of the Schedule provides for cash fares.

Part C of the Schedule provides definitions and validity arrangements for ticket types and eligibility conditions for discounted fares.  This part also provides the definition of an exempt person, who, under the instrument, is not required to pay a fare.  

Definitions in relation to particular passenger groups are, wherever possible, determined with reference to statutory definitions.  For example, where previously children under five were exempt from paying fares, the definition now refers to a person who is not of compulsory education age.  This is currently 6 years of age under the Education Act 2004.  This addresses an anomaly in previous fare determinations where children between 5 and 6 who are not at school, in effect, had no concession applied to their travel.