An online group that helps thousands of Melburnians to keep tabs on their “mates”, the city’s tram inspectors, was born of frustration with the public transport system, says its administrator.
“Where are our mates, Melbourne’s PT ticket wardens, today?” has more than 3,300 members, who post tens of photos and details of inspectors’ locations every day for the benefit of the group.
“A handful of mates just jumped on the 5 one stop south of the free tram zone,” posted one member on Sunday. “Sadly I couldn’t stick around long enough to donate to their worthy cause.”
The group’s description stresses that it does not encourage fare evasion, and that is “to alert fare paying members only which lines their mates the ticket wardens are on so that they can ready their smiles and most importantly their valid tickets”.
“Don’t forget to thank your mates the ticket wardens for the awesome work that they do every day,” it continues. “We all know what a great service they do for our community but sometimes they might need to be reminded ♥.”
Our mates looking fresh at Wastgarth, say hi for me 😊
The cheery suggestion is reinforced by a warning that condoning or encouraging fare evasion, or name-calling or aggression “towards mates or other members”, go against the group’s code of conduct and could result in members being ejected.
A spokesman for Public Transport Victoria refused to confirm whether it was aware of the group before Guardian Australia brought it to its attention, or to comment on it at all.
He did say fare evasion cost the state millions of dollars a year, and that fare evasion rates were now at their lowest level since records began.
There are now more than 600 officers, wearing both uniform and in plainclothes, tasked with managing fare compliance. In 2014-15 the number of tickets checked on Victoria’s public transport network increased by 59%, from 9 million to more than 14 million.
But Where are our mates? is as much a space for venting frustration as it is for sharing information, says its administrator.
Northcote resident César Rodrigues, who took over the group from a friend seven months ago, said it was born of dissatisfaction with the inconsistent and complicated Myki system.
“I personally think it isn’t really working for the commuter,” he said.
Mates jumping on and off the 109 city-bound. Just got off by Trinity to catch a pesky freeloader who thought she’d touch on. On ya mates!
His tram route is “the infamous 86” and his complaints are many: it’s too difficult and slow to top-up; concession cards look the same as non-concession; the rules around free fare zones are confusing. “There’s some weird thing about once you touch on, there’s two hours until the next … I really don’t understand it, to be honest, and that’s half the problem.”
The Myki card has been a notorious headache for the Victorian state government in both implementation and execution, with the transport department accused of overlooking serious defects in the technology and legislation of the system.
In June the barrister Julian Burnside QC took on pro bono the cases of commuters facing fare-evasion charges, branding the department’s aggressive enforcement approach a “statutory standover racket”.
Last year the Age reported that most of the fines contested in court since Myki was introduced in 2012 had been withdrawn or dismissed.
Rodrigues said the group had become a place for Melburnians to vent their frustrations and it was “snowballing a bit” in popularity.
“From my experience, everyone’s really frustrated ... I don’t think it’s just fare evaders having run-ins with the inspectors. It’s everyone, like people who are trying to do the right thing but inadvertently aren’t, because the system is complicated.
“They can fine you immediately, but you can’t top up your card immediately. They’ve got these guys marauding the public transport system, ready to give you a fine and with an Eftpos machine for you to pay it on, but if you need to get a ticket, there’s nothing around. It’s a real issue.”
Another complaint was of “hotspots”. “There’s always groups of inspectors outside the free tram zone, waiting for people to make mistakes. I don’t think it’s the way it should happen. They’re always gathered in big groups outside Melbourne uni, preying on students. It’s just not cool.”
Four mates plotting their next coffee stop at Swanston/Collins St going back up 11, 12 or 48 line. All looking fantastic in black leather. Give them a compliment.”
Rodrigues said the group also served to empower Melbourne public transport users against inspectors, who have the power to arrest people and have been documented using excessive force.
In February the state ombudsman criticised the transport department’s decision to clear an officer over his restraint of a 15-year-old girl in July 2013, saying he had deprived her of her basic human rights by slamming her into the ground.
Rodrigues described the footage of that encounter as “really confronting – a huge, six-foot-plus guy, body-slamming a teenage girl”.
“When I have run-ins with them, I usually get a little bit anxious and scared. They’re known for violence … it feels like I’m dealing with security guards, you know.”
Rodrigues said the group had prompted valuable discussion about tram wardens’ powers. “People are talking about what the legal parameters of a ticket inspector are – are they allowed to search you, do you have to show them ID, are they allowed to arrest you. There are a lot of grey areas around that.
“My protocol is that I’ll take their names and a photo of them before I even interact with them. They don’t like that but that’s just the way it goes.”
At time of publication, there had been 22 posts made to to Where are our mates? in the past 24 hours. “So many mates to say hi to today!!” wrote one member of Parliament station on Wednesday morning.
