Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review

In proof-of-payment transit systems worldwide, fare inspection is the most widely adopted strategy against fare evasion from transit authorities and public transport companies. Although these actors attempt to make the inspectors’ work as easy, effective, and equitable as possible, several issues ne...

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Main Authors: Benedetto Barabino, Martina Carra, Graham Currie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Journal of Public Transportation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1077291X24000213
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author Benedetto Barabino
Martina Carra
Graham Currie
author_facet Benedetto Barabino
Martina Carra
Graham Currie
author_sort Benedetto Barabino
collection DOAJ
description In proof-of-payment transit systems worldwide, fare inspection is the most widely adopted strategy against fare evasion from transit authorities and public transport companies. Although these actors attempt to make the inspectors’ work as easy, effective, and equitable as possible, several issues need to be analysed according to a unifying approach, i.e., “How, where and when to inspect”, “Who and why evades the fare”, “How many and how to distribute inspectors” as well as improve the inspectors’ effectiveness. Since no study exists in the literature investigating all these issues together, this paper aims to fill this gap with a review of several key papers that covered the full spectrum of relevant literature which, whole or partially, focused on fare inspection. Results show fare inspection is a beneficial strategy against fare evasion, but there are still many challenges and research limits that should be overcome in the years ahead. A possible research agenda is provided. It calls for specific options (i.e., data collection and fare evasion risk in hotspot definition, digital support and bottom-up approaches, size of inspection staff and scheduling of inspectors under realistic conditions and follower responses, effectiveness of actions focused on the visibility of fare inspection, managing interactions between fare inspectors and passengers) and integrated approaches (i.e., linking the planning, organisation, and activities of fare inspection with who and why evade). Nevertheless, even if this review may not be conclusive, these results support a unifying literature development on fare inspection.
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spelling doaj-art-ccb970cec4124b3a97b24c653d710a492025-08-20T01:58:27ZengElsevierJournal of Public Transportation2375-09012024-01-012610010110.1016/j.jpubtr.2024.100101Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A reviewBenedetto Barabino0Martina Carra1Graham Currie2Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics (DICATAM), University of Brescia, Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics (DICATAM), University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Corresponding author.Public Transport Research Group, Institute of Transport Studies, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, AustraliaIn proof-of-payment transit systems worldwide, fare inspection is the most widely adopted strategy against fare evasion from transit authorities and public transport companies. Although these actors attempt to make the inspectors’ work as easy, effective, and equitable as possible, several issues need to be analysed according to a unifying approach, i.e., “How, where and when to inspect”, “Who and why evades the fare”, “How many and how to distribute inspectors” as well as improve the inspectors’ effectiveness. Since no study exists in the literature investigating all these issues together, this paper aims to fill this gap with a review of several key papers that covered the full spectrum of relevant literature which, whole or partially, focused on fare inspection. Results show fare inspection is a beneficial strategy against fare evasion, but there are still many challenges and research limits that should be overcome in the years ahead. A possible research agenda is provided. It calls for specific options (i.e., data collection and fare evasion risk in hotspot definition, digital support and bottom-up approaches, size of inspection staff and scheduling of inspectors under realistic conditions and follower responses, effectiveness of actions focused on the visibility of fare inspection, managing interactions between fare inspectors and passengers) and integrated approaches (i.e., linking the planning, organisation, and activities of fare inspection with who and why evade). Nevertheless, even if this review may not be conclusive, these results support a unifying literature development on fare inspection.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1077291X24000213Fare inspectionFare inspectorInspection-transport-evasionInspector-transport-evasionFare evasion
spellingShingle Benedetto Barabino
Martina Carra
Graham Currie
Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
Journal of Public Transportation
Fare inspection
Fare inspector
Inspection-transport-evasion
Inspector-transport-evasion
Fare evasion
title Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
title_full Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
title_fullStr Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
title_full_unstemmed Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
title_short Fare inspection in proof-of-payment transit networks: A review
title_sort fare inspection in proof of payment transit networks a review
topic Fare inspection
Fare inspector
Inspection-transport-evasion
Inspector-transport-evasion
Fare evasion
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1077291X24000213
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