Markus Kaupper, the head of DB Regio NRW, has called for a change in how ticket inspections are performed on regional trains. According to the “Neue Ruhr/Neue Rhein Zeitung” (NRZ), his proposal is that fare checks should only be conducted by larger teams of inspectors.
Kaupper urged transport operators and their clients to discuss the future of these ticket controls. He argued that ticket checks are often what lead to escalating conflicts, and therefore, his company advises staff to de-escalate or withdraw in volatile situations.
His primary submission involves separating the functions of passenger service and security control. This means that train conductors should serve as the main point of contact for passengers, while the actual checking of tickets should be handled by dedicated teams. This model, he noted, is already frequently employed by local municipal transit companies.
