“15% estimated fraud on buses”, Ile-de-France Mobilités launches a new campaign against fraud

Ile-de-France Mobilités is launching a new communication campaign on buses in the Paris region against fraud, which is still too common.

A well-identified problem. As it prepares to unify the price of transport tickets from January 2025, Ile-de-France Mobilités is currently launching a campaign to combat bus fraud in the region.

Available in the form of posters in these vehicles, it aims to raise awareness among transport users, many of whom still do not pay for their trips.

On the Paris inner suburbs bus network, the fraud rate is estimated on average at “15% in 2023”, i.e. a constant rate since Covid, reports IDFM.

“We must wage a relentless fight against fraud. Because fraud is unfair: those who respect the rules pay for those who do not respect them. Fraud also means a loss of income to finance public transport,” explained Valérie Pécresse, president of the organizing authority and the Ile-de-France region.

The fraud rate is slightly lower in the outer suburbs, reaching on average 10% of journeys and is explained in particular by strict rules imposed by Ile-de-France Mobilités to maintain a level of transport ticket controls by line.

A massive fraud rate in noctilians

Conversely, where the figures recorded last year are the most alarming are those of night buses. Indeed, on the Noctilien, almost one trip in three “is made in an irregular situation”, which, according to IDFM, can be explained both by the fewer number of checks – in the minds of travelers -, or even the absence of validation of two tickets during long distance journeys.

If these figures come mainly from the absence of gates preventing boarding buses – such as to access the metro or RER -, Ile-de-France Mobilités intends to massively increase the number of validators at station exits and also in the new buses, as well as on the tram platforms.