Roles and responsibilities

Authorised Officers are employed by public transport operators to check tickets, improve customer safety, provide customer information and help during special events.

They are authorised by the Victorian Government, undergo extensive training and must abide by a strict code of conduct.

Code of conduct

Under the code, Authorised Officers must:

• provide good customer service to all public transport customers
• assist the travelling public with all aspects of public transport services which includes helping to ensure a safe network
• act as a deterrent to vandalism, fare evasion and anti-social behaviour
• report behavioural and ticketing offences against the Transport Act 1983 and Regulations
• maintain the highest degree of integrity and professionalism at all times.

Authorised Officers:

• must display their badge when checking tickets and on request, show their identity card to customers
• cannot search bags or any belongings of a person
• may work in uniform or in plain clothes
• sometimes work in teams to ensure the tickets of large numbers of customers can be checked quickly and efficiently.

For a summary of the Authorised Officers Code of Conduct visit transport.vic.gov.au (link opens in a new window)

Powers of Authorised Officers

Authorised Officers have the authority to:

• ask to see your ticket (and concession identification where appropriate), even when you have left the vehicle or a paid area of a station
• ask for your name and address if they believe an offence has occurred
• ask to see evidence which confirms your identity
• arrest you until satisfied evidence confirms your name and address
• arrest you until the police arrive if you refuse to comply
• confiscate tickets for use as evidence

If you do not cooperate with requests from Authorised Officers in the exercise of their powers under the Transport Act, you may be lawfully arrested and held until police arrive. If the matter cannot be resolved, then police may arrest you and the matter may go before the Magistrates' Court or the Children's Court.

The above represents just some of the powers of Authorised Officers. The powers are exercised under and subject to the Transport Act 1983. Any information obtained in the exercise of these powers is collated, retained and used in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2000 and the Transport Act 1983.

For a copy of the Transport Act and regulations visit information.vic.gov.au (link opens in a new window)

To ensure you are travelling with the right ticket visit metropolitan fares and tickets.

Further information

Follow the links below for further information:

→ Travelling without a valid ticket
→ Contesting the matter
→ Confiscated tickets
→ Feedback