eli5: why do long distance train systems (like Amtrak) and a lot of regional rails (like the Long Island Rail Road) use on-board ticket collectors to verify tickets, instead of turnstile systems at individual stations (like metros and subways use)?

Question

It just seems like a terribly inefficient system to verify someone’s right to access the train once they are already on the train…..

In: Other

Answer 1

It’s not just long distance train systems.

The public transportation in calgary uses transportation “officers” that *occasionally* check tickets.

Occasionally enough that it’s not worth the risk to not have a ticket.

IIRC it works out that the fine for not having a ticket/not having the correct ticket is less than the price of a years pass. I think you could get caught 3x a year and you’d break even if you bought the years pass.

That said, a single ticket was $3 when I lived there, so it the fine worth it? Plus that train system had “free downtown transit” so as long as you were downtown you didn’t need a ticket. As soon as you left downtown you needed a ticket.

The enforcement agents were often standing on the first platform outside of the city and would check everybody who got off then step on the train and check everybody else. (Not too many people on the trains most days.)