Paid area

Through ticket inspection, Switzerland Billet control, is to ensure that people who use public transportation, have a valid ticket and have paid the required for their transportation fee. So-called free riders that stand out during this inspection, may result in civil and criminal law.

Although the person carried is often referred to as a passenger, they should not be derived from it during an inspection, she was invited to ride; Therefore, in conditions of carriage, the term traveler is used instead, would also be conceivable driving customer. Is avoided in official texts, the term dodgers.

The control mechanisms are partly the same as in the control of tickets at the ticket check.

Type of control

Different types of control can be characterized by their time as well as to determine whether they are carried out regularly or randomly. The following are the possible time points are considered.

Before entering the means of transport

Special inspections are not necessary if a ticket must be purchased upon entering the mode of transport and the scope of services to be provided transport services at this time, it is common for example because the transportation runs only a fixed distance, like a mountain railway with a mountain and a valley station. Selling or Check the ticket upon entering is otherwise effective when in relation to the travel time rarely Passengers can board the bus, as in a remote or coach (as opposed to inner-city bus ). To avoid that passengers continue to travel secretly paid extent also, however, would further checks during the journey or be performed when exiting.

In order to still be high for many entry points, controls can be automated before entering the mode of transport. For this example, there are automatic platform screen doors ( access point ) in front of the subway platform, through which a person can be after they introduced the ticket ( and get back ) has. However, such systems can be bypassed depending on the version ( turnstile jumping ), which in the sense of control would lead to a prosecution of the defendant; also they are not suitable for several people who drive with a ticket. For above-ground entry points, especially bus stops, where such machines are not practical, vehicle-mounted systems offer a (still less comfortable ) alternative.

Economically, ticket checks when entering the mode of transport there where anyway security controls are necessary as in aviation or in the Euro Star train traffic through the Euro tunnel. Similarly, the control can be carried out by personnel already on the operation of the passengers, as on cruise ships with service, mitfährt.

During the trip

Ticket checks during the journey take place either regularly or randomly, which are subject to long-distance trains as the trains of Deutsche Bahn due to higher personnel costs regular inspections more expensive transport.

Control with purchase option

For railway companies, it may be cheaper to sell tickets in the local train, than operate at all breakpoints ticket machines or ticket agencies. Likewise (ICE, InterCity, Euro City ) regular checks with the possibility of subsequent ticket purchase are connected in long-distance trains. This is not a priority to discover dodgers, but to ensure the ticket purchase for all passengers or to allow what is also a service of the transport company represents (eg for passengers who enter spontaneously into a long-distance train ). The service concept is also likely in the foreground are for ticket inspection on cruise ships.

If enough buying opportunities exist before the trip, but bought tickets are sometimes more expensive than in advance during driving, especially if the passenger still has no ticket, not just a connection ticket (for extension of transportation) or transitional ticket ( when using a more expensive train or car class ) are required. This fee is to offset the additional costs for the staff who sold the tickets, and also make the purchase during the ride for passengers less attractive because of the transport company is a risk not control all ticket -less passengers while driving or to serve.

Legally, the passengers are to participate in this periodic form of control committed by " Another person without a ticket? " (But only then ) should be noticeable to the question of the guard in order not to commit fraud.

With the increasing complexity of ticket pricing offers the purchase of (connection ) ticket while driving sometimes gave rise to the dispute between conductor and passenger who can run more unpleasant than in advance,

• Because current events such as cancellation of lateness or the passenger may have prompted to choose another route or train class corresponds as his ticket
• Because of the threat standing in the room of the guard to treat a passenger unwilling to pay as fare dodger
• Because of the presence of the other passengers in the immediate vicinity.

Control without buying opportunity

In buses, trams, S- and U -Bahn random checks are carried out. Because of the low probability of being discovered by such inspection as ticket -less passengers, the possibility of post- ticket purchase is not considered, even at increased prices. Even the black riders demanded "increased transportation fee " (usually double fare, but at least 40 € ) is seen only as a first sanction that goes along with the statement of particulars for the purpose of identifying repeat offenders and, where appropriate, take further legal action. There is therefore now no longer available or possible, be settled fare dodging the immediate payment of € 40 at the controller. Conversely, the inspector is not entitled to demand the increased transport rates instantly from the Dodger.

As long as there is no prosecution for Black driving, the civil claims remain lower than the unpaid transportation charges depending on discovery frequency. This suggests the idea of ​​a " Black driver insurance " that could take over for a premium, which would be lower than the fare, such civil claims. If such insurance privately organized and to a limited extent ( both locally and in terms of capital equipment), but can approach the transport company with tighter controls in the short term, however. Such flexibility is especially possible if external companies to carry out the inspection; what more likely happens when she is no longer considered without the service function of the subsequent ticket sales as part of the transport service. As an incentive for external inspectors they may have a commission ( critics call it a bounty ) per basis of the level dodgers get as DB Schaffner also sold the train tickets.

A control with no purchase option is only justified if passengers can buy the ticket on or before boarding the means of transport. In buses and trams, there is the possibility of buying directly from the driver or at an ATM installed in your car used to be the devaluation of (compared to single tickets cheaper ) multiple tickets ( so-called stripe cards ). Today are usually issued by the driver on more expensive single tickets to discourage passengers from this kind of sale, which distracts the driver from the driving task. Previously purchased single or multiple tickets must be validated immediately after the entry into this transportation by the passenger himself. With these options, there is no passenger can rely on the ticket purchase was impossible for him.

Control in Uniform

In trains (including S- and U -Bahn ), where a purchase from the driver is not possible, inspectors need to know and take into account the current situation at the entry point and a passenger subsequently a ticket ( no extra cost ) to sell, if a purchase before driving not was possible or reasonable. Dispute may be in such cases, how much effort would have the passenger thereby can be expected:

• How much time must be scheduled for the ticket purchase if the counter or vending machine very busy and possibly several machines or validators should be tried (on other platforms ), because one is defective?
• Is it the fault of the passenger, if he is not accepted by the machine cash? Machines for public transportation tickets accept cash (the only legal tender ), but not necessarily arbitrarily large bills or even hard money.

This results in a more conversational emphasized form of control, which is rather carried out by uniformed personnel.

In addition to the validators and ticket machines are in buses and trains transport partially available, but transportation companies have restricted largely the use of which in recent years: A passenger who enters without a ticket, could have relied in many cases on the impossibility, while driving a to buy because the only machine was defective or the route for its often very complex operation too short. On the other hand, offered machines in the vehicle the ability to only buy a ticket from the emergence of a controller. Therefore, it is now required by the passengers possession of a ticket when entering the vehicle and made ​​this new regulation known by appropriate labeling on all vehicle doors. The vending machines and validators in the vehicle are thinking aloud transport companies only in the following cases:

• If the use of vending machines and validators at entry point was not possible.
• To buy or for cancellation of connection ticket. If that (eg because of a defect of the machine ) fails, it is recommended to get out in time before.

In local trains, there is the possibility that (connection ) to buy a ticket from the conductor, the passengers must contact immediately and independently for these cases. Before the introduction of the scheme " entry only ticket " it was still possible, or at least tolerated, to make the purchase only when inspected by the conductor as long-distance transport.

Control in everyday clothes

To avoid that tickets are only devalues ​​the emergence of a controller, the validators can

• Be turned off before beginning the check ( after all passengers have canceled devaluation consent ) or
• Make in use an Klington, which makes the controller aware of "just- in-time" devaluating dodgers, or

Both are feasible in trams when the inspectors climb in everyday clothes and be recognized by the driver, who then validators (and possibly ticket machines ) turns off. Such inspections shall be carried out with many controllers simultaneously in order to be ready in the short time between two tram stops before any fare dodgers can get.

When leaving the means of transport

My checks are unnecessary when the payment is made after transport before leaving the means of transport, such as taxis. However, the handling unwilling to pay passengers then represents similar to the handling of black drivers during an inspection.

On barges are the tickets which are only bought on board, checked when leaving the ship. Given the small number of berths, the seller / checker has also often an overview of the number of passengers that need to get off at a certain dock, and can thus prevent clandestine Continue.

In Germany, train tickets are kept even after leaving the train until the delineated path area is left, as they serve as a credential to stay on a track system and in this respect can be controlled by railway personnel.

Scope of control

In a random check while driving can not be verified, where the passenger is actually entered or is off; a regularly -controlling Schaffner, this could (in theory). But even without this constraint is the number of monitored information on the ticket quite large, as each rail travelers know who has ever argued about the validity of a reservation. Incidentally, seat reservations not subject to the ticket check, but probably bicycles, which are transported only partially in the transport free of charge similar to driving regulations. In the first car class is also checked whether the ticket to stay in this class entitled.

Certain cards allow time ( peak hours ) the free take away from (eg, up to four) people. Here, the entrained must be called a checker at the beginning of the control; the attempt to bring a black driver caught on their own time card can be counted as aid to fraud. If the entrainment scheme is applied for different trips to different persons, the weekend ticket of Deutsche Bahn could be used to make other passengers during many trips a weekend ride (paid). Currently, only the name of a passenger on the weekend ticket must be entered as an action against its disclosure.

While single and multiple tickets are valid regardless of the owner, is required for full control of personal time card an identity check of the passenger. For such elaborate controls there was next regularly controlling the attendants a random Fahrkartenprüfdienst used, in addition to the ticket 's identity document (identity card ) and certain ticket controls a student ID. Today the identity control is simplified by attaching a photo to the season tickets or even superfluous transmitted through the introduction of season tickets.

Online - tickets, passengers (after buying on the Internet) before driving can print themselves are limited in order to avoid the multiple use by multiple print not only on a specific person, but also to a certain point in time. The corresponding complex control takes place here already largely automatically by reading the personal rail card, credit card or Maestro card ( requirement for this form of ticket purchase) and scan the 2D barcode on the ticket. With the automatic control systems necessary for this, the conductor can also sell tickets, so to speak, he is also a portable ticket machine. Instead print the bar code can also be sent via SMS to the mobile phone of the passenger and displayed in the control there. ( See also ticket # Modern types of tickets. )

Can a black driver not prove his identity, the police must be consulted to determine the identity at the exit point; sometimes the black driver must for this purpose elsewhere off as planned. Especially in children who are traveling without escort, throws such action problems that have to do with the supervisory and duty of care (see also surreptitiously transport ( Germany ) # Legal situation in children and adolescents ). In the review by the police more facts could be uncovered if the person wanted by the police or without a residence permit.

Tickets can be " controlled" and to gather statistical data about the passengers in a vehicle, but on a voluntary basis; but in these cases it is expressly not include the application of black drivers, and they have to fear any consequences.

Devaluation

A ticket can not be withheld from a control when it has to be checked in the course of the ride again, it was in another train or after a change of personnel in the same train. Therefore, or because they still should remain with the passenger, is ensured by devaluation that a ticket can not be used for another trip to the expiration of their validity. Not necessary is a cancellation, if the ticket already contains precise details of the movement, for which it is valid, such as the Online Ticket.

The simplest form of validation is the tearing or punching the ticket, while tearing a specially perforated part ( demolition ) already allows for multiple levels of validation:

• A return ticket can have two breaks for round -trip.
• An outline may indicate that a ticket was sold at full price; in case of reduction of this will be demolished during the sale, so that a later checker recognize the discount and authorization can check ( by student ID ).

For more information it is clear from a devaluation, which was made ​​by a Entwerterstempel ( self- devaluation by the passenger ) or forceps impression ( through a conductor ). The date contained in it is the beginning of their validity, and the ticket is valid from then on a certain period of time ( about two days for a train ). In transport associations whose collective area is divided into zones (or " honeycomb " ), the place of the stamp sets and the spatial validity established ( for example, three zones including the entry zone).

Stripe cards are multiple tickets with eg 20 stripes, of which a certain number must be stamped at the entry. In this way, the amount of the fare paid is determined by the position of the cancellation stamp, the strips are consumed as it were cash.

Ticket checks in the literature

Situations where a passenger is a ( perceived or real ) Black driver jumps at a ticket check to the side, can be found among others in the children's novel Emil and the Detectives and in the movie Bitter Moon. In the novel Five red herrings by Dorothy Sayers is based on an alibi forgery of pliers prints the ticket inspectors on the train.

Well because of the many contentious issues surround the ticket check some stories that may be considered " modern myths ", so in books by Rolf Wilhelm Brednich the Myths " The punks in the subway " and " Bimbo ". Both ideas ( eating up the ticket and xenophobia ) are found combined in the short film dodgers; a verse about " Bimbo " is also included in a song by the Brothers leaf shot from the 1980s.

A scene from the American adventure film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: As the protagonist in a Zeppelin to a fist fight throws one of his Nazi persecutors from the aircraft, the other passengers seem completely shocked. To calm the situation, Jones is as a ticket inspector from, who has just thrown a black driver out the window ( Jones, pointing to the open window: "No ticket! " - In german synchronization - in the original version, "No ticket! "). A parody of the scene there was in the movie Dogma aboard a train.