BACKGROUND

In September 2004, an amendment of the by-law governing the City’s Proof of Payment system to extend it to enable O-Train

platforms to be Proof of Payment (POP) zones was approved by Council.

During the discussion of this change at Transportation Committee, the question was raised as to whether this idea could be

extended to Transitway stations.  Staff was asked investigate and this memorandum responds to that request.

DISCUSSION

Two key components were needed to allow O-Train stations to be POP zones.  There had to be:

§         No reason for people to be on the platform except to catch a train; and,

§         A means of purchasing a single fare before entering the platform.

Both criteria could be satisfied at all O-Train platforms and thus the POP zones were implemented and have been successful in

 reducing fare evasion. 

In the case of Transitway stations, many of them are used for other purposes.  For example, St. Laurent Station is used as a pedestrian

connection to Tremblay Road, Lees Station connects Lees Avenue to the University of Ottawa, etc.  There are some stations at which

 it could be argued that the only reason for being on the platform would be to use transit.  Examples of these are South Keys, Greenboro,

Billings Bridge, etc.  So, from this perspective, it would be feasible to implement POP zones on some Transitway platforms.

The second component poses much more of a challenge.  In order to access a POP zone it would be necessary to have a proof of payment in hand. 

There is no problem for customers with valid passes.  However, for passengers wishing to pay with cash or tickets it is difficult to provide a

time-stamped proof of payment without a continuous staff presence or machines that can accept cash or tickets and produce a time-stamped receipt.

This issue led to the use of ticket vending machines for the O-Train:  these machines print valid transfers with the payment of $2.  However,

the fare payment system on the O-Train is being used as a short-term expediency; it does not support the successful deep discount

ticket system.  The cash fare of $2 compares with $2.60 cash and $1.80 ticket fare on the rest of the transit system.

The transit fare system encourages the use of pre-paid fares.  Approximately three out of four customers who do not use a bus pass,

pay with tickets rather than cash.  In the future, it will be possible to handle ticket fares on the O-Train through the use of multi-ride

 electronic tickets or smart cards.  However, when the O-Train was implemented, suitable systems to punch or stamp tickets were

explored without success.

It is proposed that implementation of POP zones on the Transitway be revisited when electronic fares become available.  At that time,

 it would be necessary to install electronic readers and machines that would accept cash and issue a time-stamped receipt at the

 entrance of these platforms that could be designated POP zones.

In summary, it is not possible to extend this idea at this time because it could not accommodate customers who want to use tickets

 to pay their fare.  It will, however, be possible to make some Transitway stations POP zones when we move to a smart card fare system.

In the meantime, staff will continue to carry out regular and random checks on platforms and on POP buses as part of their ongoing

fare inspection program.

Original signed by

R.G. Hewitt

HEG/sc

S:\PDAdmin\Gault\Memo\Memo 2005\Transp Cttee - POP Zone at Transitway Stations Apr 05.doc