Proof-of-payment: Difference between revisions

'''Proof-of-payment''' '''(POP)''' or '''proof-of-fare''' '''(POF)''' is an [[honorhonour system|honor]]-based [[fare]] collection system used on many [[public transportation]] systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a [[fare control]] zone, passengers are required to carry a [[Ticket (admission)|ticket]], pass or a transit smartcard to prove that they have paid the valid fare. Fares are enforced via random spot-checks by inspectors such as [[Conductor (transportation)|conductors]] or enforcement officers, to ensure that passengers have paid their fares and are not committing [[fare evasion]]. On many systems, a passenger can purchase a single-use ticket or multi-use pass at any time in advance, but must insert the ticket or pass into a validation machine immediately before use. Validation machines in stations or on board vehicles [[time stamp]] the ticket. The ticket is then valid for some period of time after the stamped time.

The honorhonour system can be complemented with a more direct collection approach where this would be feasible—a transit authority utilizingutilising POP will usually post fare inspectors, sometimes armed as a police force, to man entrances to stations on a discretionary basis when a high volume of passengers is expected. For example, transit users leaving a [[stadium]] immediately following a major concert or sporting event will likely have to buy a ticket from an attendant (or show proof of payment) to gain access to the station serving the stadium. Direct fare collection methods may also be used at major hubs in systems that otherwise use POP. An example of this is the [[Tower City station|Tower City]] station on [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]]'s [[RTA Rapid Transit]] [[Red Line (Cleveland)|Red Line]], which uses [[faregate]]s.

Advantages of proof-of-payment include lower laborlabour costs for fare collection, simpler station design, easier access for mobility-impaired passengers, easier access for those carrying packages or in case of an emergency, and a more open feel for passengers. On buses, proof-of-payment saves drivers the time needed to collect fares, and makes it possible for all doors to be used for boarding. Validated tickets can double as [[Transfer (public transit)|transfers]] between lines.

Proof-of-payment is popular in Germany, where it was widely introduced during the laborlabour shortages resulting from the [[Wirtschaftswunder|Economic Miracle]] of the 1960s. It has also been adopted in Eastern Europe and Canada and has made some inroads in newer systems in the United States. The first use of the term "POP" or "Proof of Payment" on a rail line in North America is believed to have been in [[Edmonton]] in 1980. Since then, many new [[light rail]], [[streetcar]], and [[bus rapid transit]] systems have adopted the procedure, mainly to avoid the hassles of crowding at doors to pay fares at a [[farebox]] beside the driver as is common practice on traditional [[bus]]es.