Tram conductors weren’t perfect, but they did provide a fulltime staff presence on trams that ensured most people bought a ticket, and thought twice about putting their feet on the seats.
Since they’ve been gone, seemingly rare random inspections mean evaders and others who disobey the rules are unlikely to get caught — in fact the Metlink Revenue Protection Plan published last year by The Age noted (on page 72) that the percentage of tram passengers who get their tickets checked is just 2.39%.
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