Interchange between operators

Where continuing travel authority is provided, mechanisms need to be put in place for the subsequent carrier(s) to receive part of the payment made for the through-ticket as appropriate. This is not a problem where there is a monopolistic operator or the same operator provides both of the linked services, as this then need only be an internal data transfer for management information purposes. Similarly, where gross-cost operating contracts are employed and a central entity collects all revenues, there is no need for a financial transfer.

However, should the journey involve a transfer between operators, then supporting evidence of the travel use needs to be supplied by the second carrier to the first in order that an appropriate payment can be made. In some cases, particularly where regular commuting dominates travel patterns, the operators may net-off the payment on the grounds that each receives the first fare validation on one leg of the return journey.