{"id":105739,"date":"2019-11-13T14:07:01","date_gmt":"2019-11-13T13:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=105739"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:34","slug":"some-58000-students-still-entitled-to-a-fare-repayment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2019\/11\/13\/some-58000-students-still-entitled-to-a-fare-repayment\/","title":{"rendered":"Some 58,000 students still entitled to a fare repayment"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 16 August, students with a card for weekdays could once again travel free of charge after a long summer of paying fare. But those who didn\u2019t have any balance on their card couldn\u2019t check in with a number of transport operators. And students who had topped up their card were charged anyway.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNick Staal\/Unsplash<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

There turned out to be an error in the annual calendar that Regisseur Studenten Reisrecht<\/a> (RSR) had sent to the transport operators. Students travelling by train didn\u2019t have this issue, since Dutch Railways relied on its own calendar. The very same day, RSR informed students via social media that they could recover their undue payments at a ticket machine.<\/p>\n

Effort<\/h2>

Since then, only 21 percent of the nearly 73,000 students affected have taken the trouble of dropping by a ticket machine, notes<\/a> the public transport ombudsman in his quarterly report. He wonders whether the organisations involved have done enough to inform students about the refund. According to the ombuds, they need to make an effort to pay everyone back.<\/p>\n

At present, RSR \u2013 which is responsible for the mistake and for communicating with the students \u2013 wouldn\u2019t know what else they could do. \u201cWe\u2019ve made it as easy as possible for the students. They don\u2019t have to submit a statement or anything: the correct amount has already been reserved for them. All they have to do is drop by a ticket machine,\u201d says an RSR spokesperson.<\/p>\n

They have announced this on multiple occasions via social media and the press. Contacting all students personally isn\u2019t an option, since they don\u2019t have everyone\u2019s phone number or e-mail address.<\/p>\n

Shame<\/h2>

The biggest obstacle seems to be students\u2019 willingness to drop by a ticket machine. \u201cIn many cases, we\u2019re talking about a modest amount, in the area of 98 cents. Students won\u2019t make much of an effort for that kind of money. And they aren\u2019t the only ones \u2013 the public\u2019s response to operations of this kind is often lukewarm.\u201d<\/p>\n

RSR will be monitoring whether more refunds have been claimed by the end of this week. \u201cIt would be a pity if the money isn\u2019t paid back. It\u2019s no use to us either. It belongs to the student, so it needs to be transferred to his or her balance.\u201d In principle, the owed amount will remain available until the student\u2019s card expires.<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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