Pensioners cheat system

Transport officials are cracking down on fraudulent use of the SuperGold card by senior citizens.

The card gives people aged 65 and over free off-peak travel on public transport and other discounts.

The New Zealand Transport Agency has asked operators for extra vigilance amid concerns about spiralling costs.

Operators and councils have been told to stop promoting free fares as part of a review of the scheme's public transport component.

Free ferry trips to Waiheke have come under scrutiny after $2 million was spent on free pensioner tickets since public transport was added to the list of perks for cardholders in October 2008.

The agency became concerned about fraud after anecdotal reports of seniors lending their cards to non-eligible people, including tourists.

Fullers spokeswoman Lucy Farrington said staff were checking cards when passengers boarded, as well as when they bought their tickets.

"Fullers has also identified some cardholders trying to swap cards among each other and in those instances we have been unable to issue tickets," she said.

Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said a few incidents had been reported but there was not enough information to follow up. Information sent to cardholders has been strengthened to clearly state misuse of the card was an offence that carried a $5000 fine.

The consultation document on the future of the card suggests photographs should be compulsory to reduce fraud.

Photos on the card are optional but few holders have taken it up.

Free public transport is under review because subsidies are on course to exceed the $18m annual budget by next year. And regional councils will be banned from advertising free travel under a change to contracts with the NZTA.

Knackstedt said Fullers and New Zealand Bus were officially told to stop promoting the free travel last June.

The agency and Transport Ministry were working to ensure the scheme remained viable within existing budgets. Other cost-cutting options include reducing the reimbursement to transport operators, currently 75 per cent of the adult fare, or cutting some expensive services.

New figures show the number of SuperGold Card fares on the Waiheke ferry has reached 295,000 over the past 18 months.

At an average reimbursement of $13 a fare, they would have cost $3.8m.

Waiheke Community Board chairman Tony Sears said it had been "hugely successful" for the island, and scrapping the free fares would hurt businesses and local seniors.

"There are residents of our island who now have a chance to make use of amenities of the city that they otherwise might not have had," he said.

Places to use your card

* Abacus Proofreaders in Auckland
* Fatso.co.nz (online DVD rentals)
* Guru of Groove Drum Tuition in Auckland
* The BOG Irish Bar in Manukau
* Dunedin Casino
* Sky City Auckland
* Choi Kwang Do Family Martial Art, North Shore
* Spookers haunted attraction, South Auckland
* Seal Swim Kaikoura
* Revitalise Vibration Training Specialist, Christchurch