Formation of the Metropolitan Transit Authority
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Last modified/checked: Monday, 18th November 2019
The Cain Labor Government gained office at the Victorian State election on April 3rd 1982. The cornerstone of their campaign had been the need for far reaching improvements to the State's public transport system, in particular Metropolitan services. Now at the head of the Transport Ministry was Mr. Steve Crabb, a man who demonstrated a zeal for his new position, outshining usual Government wit. Labors election campaign material had clearly outlined their desire to create a single "Metropolitan Transit Authority" to administer and plan Melbournes pubic transport network. It followed that this "single authority" should also offer a "single ticket system" to its patrons. Labor critisized the Liberal's newly created zonal fare structure, saying it needed to be "restructured to simplify ticketing". They also cited that it had merely been a screen for unjustified "huge fare increases". Conveniently overlooked was the question of whether the existing zonal structure was actually suitable for a city the size of Melbourne, also that it offered the choice between a multi-modal ticket (Travelcard) or to pay just for the service used. It is a sad fact of politics that the desire to dismantle the opponents achievements was nothing new...

Before continuing with our review of ticketing, some background on the M.T.A. and images of its early days may be of interest.

With the arrival of the MTA on the 1st July 1983 the authorities initials gradually replaced the long familiar Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways Board (M.M.T.B) identification
on cash paper tickets during the 4 months that the zonal system remained in place.

Tram cash fares

NOT CASH fare reciepts were issued by tram conductors on presentation of City Section and City Plus One Section multi trip tickets which are shown below.

Pre-sold tram / bus

The pre-sold tramway board tickets were slower moving issues. The three shown here are the only MTA headed examples found. These tickets had originated for bulk issue to various state and Commonwealth Government departments for which they were specifically worded, making the hand stamped 'Police Department' issue unusual. From at least 1981 they were also sold in booklets of 20 to the general public as 'Section Savers' offering a discount over the purchase of individual tickets. They could only be purchased from the tramways board city office and at Doncaster Shoppingtown. The 'Hospital Travel' example is of a later horizontal print format and has no running numeral. The wording on the rear was common to all issues.


Tram and Bus issued Travelcards

It is doubtful that the full range of these tickets were printed with the wording and logo of the MTA.
Only the more popular and therefore faster moving zone combinations have been seen in this format. All are in green print.

Rail Date to Date

By far the most garish example of a ticket altered to reflect the MTA is the plastic Rail Date to Date. When compared with the earlier Vicrail issue, other more subtle changes can be seen
 
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 The signature panel is now on the front
The conditions have been altered to reflect the new Authority, who also no longer enforce "By-Laws"
The number on the rear went from serif to plain
Jenkins Security no longer advertise themselves - presumably they still provided these cards for the MTA?


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