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Myki overhaul begins

The Victorian Government has made it cheaper for children and teenagers to travel on public transport, by lifting the age of eligibility for free travel from four to five and increasing the age threshold of child myki tickets from 16 to 18.

The change means young people will have access to concession fares until they are 19, even if they aren’t at school or university.

For a 17 or 18 year old working instead of studying, the shift could save them up to $800 a year.

People under the age of 18 will also now be able to use a drivers licence or a Proof of Age card to prove their eligibility for concession fares. This change will save up to 10,000 fulltime students the hassle and cost of buying a PTV School Student ID.

A new concession cap on weekend travel, which has reduced the cost of Zone one and two travel on Saturday and Sunday from $3.90 to $3 was also introduced late last year.

On-the-spot fines are no longer being issued for those travelling without having swiped-on, which the current Victorian Government says intimidated vulnerable passengers and encouraged serial fare evasion.

Victorian Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan says saving parents the expense and hassle of getting their child a ticket before they’ve started school.

“These changes will save a lot of money and a lot of hassle for families using our public transport system,” she says.

“Kids won’t need a ticket until they’re five and they’ll be guaranteed cheaper fares until they’re an adult. Plus we’ve scrapped the ineffective and unfair on-the-spot fines that the former Victorian Government introduced.

“We’re making public transport simpler, fairer and cheaper for families, and getting on with building the major projects we need to run more services and get people home safer and sooner.”

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