Almost an end to fines for ov-student card
Soon, students will be able to check in for public transport with their mobile phones. This will also mean an end to the sky-high fines that students currently pay when they cancel their ‘travel product’ too late. The new payment methods should take effect between now and the end of 2023. This is evident from a bill that the government has put online for consultation. It has not yet been sent to Partliament.
The intended law is favourable for students. Since the introduction of the ov-chipkaart, students have to activate their ‘right to travel’ themselves at a collection machine. When their right expires, they have to deactivate it themselves at the same machine. Those who are late are fined. The transport companies have earned many tens of millions of euros from this, and they have also done their best to make this situation last as long as possible, a reconstruction by the HOP showed. Even in 2020, when students travelled less because of the corona epidemic, they still had to pay EUR 6.5 million in fines.
It will be simpler soon. Transport companies will stop providing students with travel services as soon as DUO informs them that they are no longer entitled to travel.
HOP, Bas Belleman
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