Tartu to retain front door only entry policy on evening buses from November
Launched in August, the City of Tartu's campaign to ensure passengers only enter city buses via the front door between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., is set to continue after the completion of the initial pilot project. Data collected shows that the number of registered trips recorded during the pilot project were up twenty-five percent compared to the same time period a year ago.
"The pilot project has confirmed that the requirement to enter through the front door facilitates the registration of rides," said Tartu Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm.
"In September and October, the registration of rides during the pilot project increased by 23 percent and 25 percent, respectively, compared to 2023. Particularly noticeable is the increase in the evening hours, where the number of registrations was at times almost 50 percent higher than last fall," Tamm added.
"Although the full impact on ticket sales is not yet clear due to periodic tickets, hourly ticket sales have increased by nearly 15 percent. This additional revenue is essential for the development of public transport," said Tamm.
At the beginning of September, nearly 1,000 bus passengers responded to the pilot project feedback survey on the City of Tartu's website, sharing their experiences and suggestions on how to make it more convenient for users to enter the bus via the front door.
As the feedback pointed out that entering through the front door still creates confusion and feels inconvenient, the city is now introducing clearer markings to its buses and directing bus drivers to behave more uniformly to reduce possible misunderstandings.
Tartu City Government launched a pilot project to only allow bus entry through the front door this summer because, according to data collected, a significant number of passengers use the city's buses without paying for tickets, especially during evening hours. Each year, Tartu loses an estimated €500,000 due to passengers without tickets – money which could be used to further develop its bus services.
After the completion of the pilot project, it will become mandatory, starting in November, to enter city buses from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. through the front door and exit via the rear doors. When entering through the front door, passengers must register their ticket at the first detector.
Passengers using wheelchairs can enter the bus at any time through the rear doors, and passengers using assistive devices (e.g. wheelchair, rollator) can signal their desire to enter via the button next to the middle doors.
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Editor: Michael Cole
