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What are the determinants in making people free riders in proof-of-payment transit systems? Evidence from Italy

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  • Barabino, Benedetto
  • Salis, Sara
  • Useli, Bruno

Abstract

Nowadays, in proof-of-payment transit systems, fare evasion is provoking strong interest in public transport companies (PTCs) due to the relevant economic losses, social inequity and increased levels of violence affecting personal security. Therefore, there is the need to recognize possible fare evaders. By using 2177 on-board personal interviews, gathered from an Italian PTC, and logistic regression models, we isolate determinants of possible free-rider passengers and, hence, those whom it might be advisable to target in order to capitalize on the effect of the application of countermeasures on fare evasion put forward by the local PTC. We show that males, younger than 26years, with a low education level, unemployed and/or students and without an alternative mode of transport other than the bus are more probably fare evaders. Moreover, people who make trips of shorter than 15min, who are systematic users and are not satisfied with the service are possible fare evaders. Finally, we found that a low level of inspection, knowledge of fines and previous ticket violations are determinants which make people more prone to evade fares. These outcomes are very useful, because, to the best of our knowledge, they represent the first empirical contribution showing the determinants which help evaluate the propensity to be a fare evader, in probabilistic terms. Moreover, they could help PTCs understand who might be a fare evader, in order to anticipate suitable countermeasures.

Suggested Citation

  • Barabino, Benedetto & Salis, Sara & Useli, Bruno, 2015. "What are the determinants in making people free riders in proof-of-payment transit systems? Evidence from Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 184-196.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:80:y:2015:i:c:p:184-196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2015.07.017
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    Cited by:

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    2. Felipe González & Carolina Busco & Katheryn Codocedo, 2019. "Fare Evasion in Public Transport: Grouping Transantiago Users’ Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Benedetto Barabino & Sara Salis, 2019. "Moving Towards a More Accurate Level of Inspection Against Fare Evasion in Proof-of-Payment Transit Systems," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1319-1346, December.
    4. Ramos, Raúl & Silva, Hugo E., 2023. "Fare evasion in public transport: How does it affect the optimal design and pricing?," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Allen, Jaime & Muñoz, Juan Carlos & Ortúzar, Juan de Dios, 2019. "On evasion behaviour in public transport: Dissatisfaction or contagion?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 626-651.
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    8. Guzman, Luis A. & Arellana, Julian & Camargo, José Pablo, 2021. "A hybrid discrete choice model to understand the effect of public policy on fare evasion discouragement in Bogotá's Bus Rapid Transit," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 140-153.
    9. Benedetto Barabino & Sara Salis, 2023. "Segmenting fare-evaders by tandem clustering and logistic regression models," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 61-96, March.
    10. Munizaga, Marcela A. & Gschwender, Antonio & Gallegos, Nestor, 2020. "Fare evasion correction for smartcard-based origin-destination matrices," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 307-322.
    11. Currie, Graham & Delbosc, Alexa, 2017. "An empirical model for the psychology of deliberate and unintentional fare evasion," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 21-29.
    12. Delbosc, Alexa & Currie, Graham, 2016. "Cluster analysis of fare evasion behaviours in Melbourne, Australia," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 29-36.
    13. Cantillo, Angel & Raveau, Sebastián & Muñoz, Juan Carlos, 2022. "Fare evasion on public transport: Who, when, where and how?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 285-295.
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    16. Elmar Wilhelm M. Fürst & David M. Herold, 2018. "Fare Evasion and Ticket Forgery in Public Transport: Insights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-16, October.
    17. Porath, Keiko & Galilea, Patricia, 2020. "Temporal analysis of fare evasion in Transantiago: A socio-political view," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
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