LUAS, Dublin's light rail network, is an extremely popular and well-loved transit system. Every year it carries over 34 million passengers in a timely, efficient and safe way on modern spacious state-of-the-art trams. Even though the overwhelming majority of passengers do the right thing and pay their fare a small minority do not, to the detriment of the transport system, the train operator and the millions of honest fare-paying passengers.
Using insights from behavioural economics and the psychology of persuasion, INFLUENCE AT WORK investigations pinpointed nearly 40 interventions to tackle the problem of fare evasion.
A programme of work which included the running of social norms experiments, a programme to change public perceptions that evaders are cheaters, a redesign of the penalty fares system, staff training, social media and communication campaigns. The result was a 16.2% reduction in fare evasion measured over a 40 week period.
We have replicated a similar approach in Sydney, Australia leading to a 21% reduction in fare evasion. Similar studies are now being carried out in 4 cities across France.
"Our collaboration with IAW challenges our status quo in a positive manner as we progress, learn, expand our views and reach new heights in our performance."