Half-price public transport fares see increase in passenger numbers for buses, ferries in Tasmania

Since the state government introduced half-price fares for public transport, passenger numbers are on the rise – but behind the data, there is an interesting story to be told.

Derwent Ferries. Ferry arrives on the eastern shore. Picture: Richard Jupe

Half-price public transport fares are convincing Tasmanians to ditch the car commute, according to Transport Minister Eric Abetz, who says the one-year policy has seen increasing numbers of people catching Metro buses and the Derwent Ferries.

But the new patronage data, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Tasmanian, shows the gains for Metro Tasmania have been relatively minor.

Honouring an election commitment, the state government slashed fares statewide on June 1 in a bid to encourage Tasmanians to catch public transport in greater numbers, help bust traffic congestion, and provide cost-of-living relief.

The measure will remain in place until June 30 next year.

Transport Minister Eric Abetz with his Greencard, launching half-price public transport fares in June. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

In the Hobart area, it means adults with a Greencard need only pay $1.36 for a one-zone bus trip, $1.92 for two zones, and $2.40 for all zones.

For the Derwent Ferries, it costs $1.36 for a crossing between Brooke St and Bellerive piers.

The new passenger data shows just how many more people are accessing public transport now that they have the incentive of half-price fares.

In the first month of the reduced prices, Derwent Ferries carried 12,756 passengers, which was a 13.5 per cent increase on June last year.

In July, 14,388 passengers boarded the ferries – a 28 per cent increase on the same month in 2023.

The figures were less impressive for Metro, however, which actually saw a 7 per cent fall in passenger numbers in June relative to the corresponding period last year, with just 654,088 passengers climbing aboard the buses in the first 30 days of the half-price fares.

While passenger numbers on the Derwent Ferries increased in June after the introduction of half-price fares, Metro Tasmania bus patronage fell. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

This is likely explained by the fact that Metro indefinitely scrapped 180 services across Greater Hobart in August 2023, responding to a driver shortage. The services remain suspended.

But passenger levels saw a modest rebound in July of this year – 656,870 people caught the bus, equating to a 4.8 per cent increase on the figures from the same period in 2023.

Mr Abetz said the government was encouraging Tasmanians to “change the way they travel”.

“Importantly, this initiative, providing cost-of-living relief for Tasmanian households, has been rolled out across all public transport providers across the state, including Metro, Tassielink, Kinetic, Manions’ [Coaches], Calow’s [Coaches], and Area Connect,” he said.

Following the introduction of half-price public transport fares, the number of people catching the Derwent Ferries rose by 28 per cent in July compared to the same month in 2023. Picture: Richard Jupe

“This is just one way we’re improving the public transport experience for Tasmanians while encouraging those who don’t regularly use it to give it a go.”

A March 2022 trial of free public bus transport in Tasmania led to a 15 per cent increase in Metro patronage.

In a Talking Point in the Mercury published in June, transport planner and researcher Mathew Sharp said reducing fares was “a great way” of changing the way people travel but would not encourage professionals and shift workers to switch from private cars to public transport.

He said frequency and reliability of services were just as important to consider if the government wanted to see more people using buses and ferries.

“Buses every half-an-hour on key corridors, every two hours in regional areas, missed services, inaccessible stops, or a peak-only ferry service, make it difficult for users to make the switch from cars,” Mr Sharp said.

Originally published as Half-price public transport fares see increase in passenger numbers for buses, ferries in Tasmania