Miscellaneous Tickets

Page last modified/checked: Sunday, 10th August 2008

There was a wide range of miscellaneous ticket and pass types on issue during the currency of the neighbourhood fare structure. Many of these were a form of travel pass for specific persons or groups and had been maintained for a long time irrespective of what fare arrangements were used by the general public.
In most cases, however, their conditions of availability were generally governed by the boundaries of the metropolitan ticketing area and with the multi-modal nature of the neighbourhood system, some were now also available on all modes, though usually only Government operated services.

Briefly, the miscellaneous ticket types can be broken into three catagories:
1. Metal type passes for higher ranking state Government officers and citizens of particular stature (Judges, etc)
2. Employee passes issued to either tramway and Government bus staff; and railway employee passes.
These passes can be further divided into current and retired employees
3. Paper and card tickets provided for specific purposes for the general public.

Here we will show a few ticket types from the second category and all those we are aware of in the third category that were in use during the neighbourhood system from 1983 to 1989.

EMPLOYEE PASSES
Because the neighbourhood system was introduced close to years end, it was not practicable to immediately convert all types of employee passes to a new or standardised format. From early 1984, however, this was gradually achieved by the introduction of laminated, photo based passes for current and retired railway and tramway division employees.

An example of an older type thin card pass that was replaced by photo-based identification from 1984.

Thin card in a vinyl wallet. The colour changed yearly.
This type of rail pass would have been held at a particular locaton for use by individuals as needed and has no provision for photo identification.

Thin card, Tram and Bus Division issue only. The names of the employees spouse and children (with age) are written in and the expiry date hand stamped.
Available on all MTA services to co-incide with the annual leave of the employee.

MISCELLANEOUS PASSES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC
BY-LAW INSPECTORS BARRIER PASS

These paper passes were only issued by Investigation Officers when a ticket had been impounded or a passenger had been reported
for travelling without a ticket - usually deliberate fare evasion.

Examples worded "MetRail" with the MTA logo were also used.
The Vicrail By Laws rail blank described in the previous zonal section also remained in use well into the
neighbourhood era although their appearance remained unaltered.

MTA TRAVELPASS

These cardboard "book type" passes were generally referred to as a "TPI Pass". They were issued free to the holder on a yearly basis.

PERIODICAL PASS

Paper pass torn from a pad.
No printing on rear
Adult issue possibly had a blue "P"

These paper passes were unique to the Government operated feeder bus service (route 901) from Southland Shopping centre and Beaumaris to Sandringham station. The passes were issued by bus drivers for presentation at Sandringham station as part payment for a weekly ticket. They were withdrawn from the 1st September 1988. A notice to this effect was displayed onboard buses and at Sandringham station. Note that similar though more basic passes were used on the Route 902 East Kew - East Camberwell station services for the same reason. These are described in the Rail+Two section of the previous zone chapter. Their fate is unrecorded but it is likely they were not perservered with after 1985.

PRE-SOLD TRAM and BUS TICKETS

These thin card tickets were popular and had been in use in numerous guises for many years. Alas, they met their fate from the 1st July 1988 in line with the MTA policy of "eliminating all non multi-modal tickets". To our knowledge, they were only available from the Concessions Office at 673 Bourke Street City (part of the former Tramways Board head office). This office itself was closed on the 21st November 1988.

The issue above is in a much simplified format and represents these tickets in their final guise.

PREPAID TRAVEL AUTHORITY

Thin card, torn from a pad. Remained in the colour shown here until the neighbourhoods were replaced by zones in 1989, then it was issued in an aqua blue shade.
We have no information confirming whether these travel authorities came into use with the commencement of the neighbourhood system in November 1983, or at some point in early 1984. These passes have proven very popular with school groups and have remained in use ever since their inception. An advantage for all adults travelling on this ticket is that they pay the concession fare for the fare type indicated.
When not issued as a time based ticket, the time boxes were crossed through as evident on this example.
To obtain the prepaid travel authority, there has to be a group with a minimum of twelve people.

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