Until this Sunday, November 30, users of certain bus networks serving Grand-Couronne have two good reasons to validate their transport tickets every time they board. Firstly, because this small gesture is mandatory (under penalty of a fine of 122 euros for travelers without a ticket and 35 euros for those who “forget” to validate it). But also because they might win a prize.
Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM, the regional transport organizing authority) started the 3rd edition of the “Validation Challenge” at the beginning of November. This time it is open to all fixed bus lines operated by Transdev on a network of 15 spread across four outer suburban departments as well as in Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne.
Concerned tourists have until the last day of the challenge to register on a special internet page. Then they must be careful to validate their transport tickets every time they board. According to the rules, challenge or not!
There are no other obligations for participants! The “collective” challenge will be won if minimum validation thresholds set by IDFM (but not communicated) for each of the 15 associated networks are reached or exceeded by the end of the month. In this case, the winner will be drawn randomly for each network and will win a voucher of 100, 200 or 300 euros.
8% of tourists do not have transport tickets
The operation, apart from being an incentive, also has an educational purpose. The challenge registration page opens with a quiz in the form of a good practice lesson where we learn, for example, that validation is of course necessary to avoid fines, but also to enable operators to know the exact use of their network and match supply to demand.
Focusing more on communication, this competition is part of a series of measures that IDFM has strengthened since the beginning of this year to halve the level of fraud in the transportation sector. According to data from the organizing authority, the rate of travelers without transport tickets (or with tickets… not validated) amounts to about 8%, all networks combined.
But this non-payment rate is much higher if we limit ourselves to “surface” transport (buses and trams) which can be accessed without passing through a gate. At the start of this year, it was estimated at 11.5% on Grand-Couronne buses and almost… 16% on the Paris Petite Couronne bus network.
Following IDFM’s measures to combat this scourge, RATP increased the amount of its fines last summer and in particular the penalty for non-validation increased from 5 to 15 euros. On the Transdev bus network, this offense is punishable by a fine of 35 euros, reduced to 5 euros if payment is made immediately.
