Ignorant traveler unjustly fined as Black Rider

This enables the PT counter, the Ombudsman for better public transport, which in recent months complaints collected from people who for various reasons could not check yet received a hefty fine. "We see the number of complaints about unfair fines lately increase significantly," said Dorathé Hoentjen Head OV counter. "The public transport smartcard system errors now make even more possible through open gates and defective piles. Therefore occurred are more tolerant to travelers. "

Traveler: "The public transport smartcard my son did not do it. He bought a paper ticket and did not know he had to check this. Arriva has decided to nonetheless bring a penalty. "

Hoentjen wants all transport companies could create a new fining policy, so that "the traveler has not delivered is at the discretion of the inspector." "What we receive to complaints, is just the tip of the iceberg," said Hoentjen. "Many travelers complain of not doing this at the carrier himself. This gives an idea of ​​the kind of ice that is under water. "

Just on social media raining complaints from travelers who could not check in with the OV-chip card with a faulty incheckpaal and still got fined. When OV counter get many reports of travelers who get fined because they check in at the wrong carrier, accidentally off instead of check or buy a ticket from the machine and do not check in, although they have paid for their trip.

Traveler: "Yesterday I had checked in Nijmegen Heyendaal station, or so I thought. Then check the train crew of Veolia came, it turned out that I had checked rather than checked. I probably forgot to check out on my arrival in Nijmegen station Heyendaal. I have a student ov week, so I had to make the journey normally free. Now the inspector explained to me a fine of € 15.19 for the fare plus any statutory increase of € 35, with so a total of € 50.19. "

All inputs and uitcheckacties a traveler can easily check an inspector on his mobile scanner. "They've got the whole trip history in your hands. People make mistakes, are easily distinguishable from real freeloaders. "

Traveler: "From Utrecht, I had to Barneveld-Noord. Because there was no connection from Amersfoort I went about Ede-Wageningen. I was checked by the NS in Utrecht. Only when three conductresses with dismounted, became clear to me that was Valleilijn of another carrier. I immediately admitted that I was wrong through ignorance and that I was willing to pay the ticket. But there was no talk of. I could choose to pay a fine of 25 euros without right of appeal or a fine of 35 euros with no right to appeal. I have 35 Euros + the amount paid for the ticket. "

metronieuws/ by Anne-Fleur Pel/ Photo: Reuters