Seniors saving millions as free travel boosts public transport patronage

Monday, 28 October 2024

Older South Australians have saved more than $16 million in public transport fares in the two years since the State Government introduced free all-day travel for Seniors Card holders.

In July 2022, the Malinauskas State Government delivered on its election commitment and made public transport free all day, every day for Seniors Card holders, who were previously charged for services during the morning and afternoon peak periods on weekdays from 7am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm.

New data shows seniors have embraced the expanded free travel, with an average of 637,270 seniors travelling for free across the Adelaide Metro network every month.

In the 12 months to end of August 2024, Seniors Card holders took 8,798,846 trips, up on the almost six million trips taken in the same period of 2021 – an increase of almost 50 per cent.

Of the free trips taken by seniors over the past 12 months, more than 2.5 million trips were during morning and afternoon peak times.

There was an increase in journeys taken by seniors during the week, with over five million trips taken from Monday to Friday in the past year, proving the introduction of free travel all-day, every day has provided those seniors who may otherwise have stayed home with the independence to get around Adelaide with no fuss.

As well as this, more than 35,000 Seniors Card holders have signed up to receive further cost-of-living relief, saving 4c per litre on fuel at participating United service stations Australia wide.

Since the discount launched in February this year, SA Seniors Card holders have purchased more than 4.9 million litres of fuel, saving a collective $200,000.

For more information about discounts and benefits available to SA Seniors Card holders, visit www.seniorscard.sa.gov.au/benefits.