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:

• see your ticket and concession identification where appropriate, even when you have left the vehicle or a paid area of a station

If an Authorised Officer believes an offence has occurred, they can:

• ask for your name and address
• ask to see evidence which confirms your identity
• arrest you until your name and address is verified by evidence
• arrest you until the police arrive if you refuse to comply
• confiscate tickets for use as evidence if necessary.

Further information

Follow the links below for further information:

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