Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp city buses and trams experience passenger loads that double the number of scanned tickets according to counting camera data. Results obtained by De Lijn transport cameras since last year demonstrate this phenomenon.
De Lijn transport company’s counting camera data reveals that Antwerp buses and trams transport at least double the number of passengers compared to ticket scans. The newly installed year-old digital cameras measure passenger numbers before comparing totals against ticket counts. Frederik Wittock, a spokesman for De Lijn, stated,
“There will now be additional checks on the urban lines,”
Highlighting the need to address fare evasion.
But despite that possibly distorted image, De Lijn still finds it important to check extra.
“Twice as many passengers as are registered, that means that there must be a considerable number of fare dodgers,”
Says Frederik Wittock of De Lijn.
“We want to point out to those who are ‘driving grey’ and therefore do not scan their season ticket or have forgotten it, that it is better to do so,”
Says Wittock.
“Those who display antisocial behaviour and therefore make other people pay for public transport, you have to check and point out their obligation, and if necessary fine them.”
What is the history of fare evasion in Belgium’s public transport system?
Belgium’s public transport system has been dealing with fare evasion problems for decades. The principal Flanders public transit provider, De Lijn, struggled for many years to strike a balance between expanding accessibility and keeping up with revenue needs. Historically, organisations used honor-based systems to maintain ticket scanning and subscription display requirements, which have resulted in substantial revenue losses.
In the early 2000s, De Lijn introduced electronic ticketing systems to modernise fare collection, but challenges like “gray riders”—passengers who possess valid tickets but fail to scan them—have persisted. Counting cameras were implemented across the system in 2022 to bring modern technology that would resolve persistent problems. Other significant Belgian cities like Brussels and Ghent report similar levels of fare evasion despite efforts to control it.
