Melbourne's estimated fare evasion rates are calculated based on interviews with more than 44,000 passengers, and weighted against other data, such as how many people use a particular train line. Passengers using the city's troubled Frankston line, meanwhile, are the second biggest culprits when it comes to fare evading. An estimated 2.7 per cent of Frankston line passengers dodge their station's myki readers. While the Frankston line services traditional working-class neighbourhoods, it does pass through more affluent areas such as Toorak, Armadale and Malvern. The Sunbury line, which services Melbourne's working-class west, has the lowest estimated rate of fare evasion.

Melbourne's tram network paints a similar picture, with bayside travellers the most likely to risk a hefty fine by travelling without a valid ticket. Almost 6 per cent of Melburnians using trams that terminate at the Glenhuntly depot – including route 3, 64 and 78 trams – don't pay for a ticket.These tram routes service suburbs such as Malvern and Brighton. Passengers on route 1, 8 and 19 trams are the next biggest tram offenders, with an estimated 4.8 per cent of people in Melbourne's inner-north refusing to touch on. Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said it was interesting the Sandringham train line had the highest estimated rate of fare evasion, as people living along this line can afford to pay for a valid ticket.

However, he is less surprised by tram-riding ticket evaders given there are no longer any conductors. "Some people will always try to get away without paying their fare," he said. "If there are very few chances of getting caught, that is likely to continue." Mr Bowen said he looks forward to the state government rolling out several changes next year, including abolishing the controversial on-the-spot fines. However, he said the government still needs to make sure it isn't turning a blind eye to public transport users doing the wrong thing. "The easier they can make it to pay [for a ticket], but harder to get away not paying, the better."

More than $16 million in potential revenue has gone down the drain this year thanks to fare evasion. Despite this, those keeping an eye on the government's coffers will be happy the overall rate of fare evasion on metropolitan trains, trams and V/Line services has dropped ever so slightly in the past year. Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said it is promising to see more train and tram users than ever before remembering to touch on – 97.7% of metropolitan train users and 95.3% of trams users travelled with a valid ticket in May 2016. "Passengers are already benefiting from quicker online top-ups and faster readers at stations across the network," she said. Unsurprisingly, Melbourne's bus network has the highest rate of fare evasion, with an estimated 4.1 per cent of bus travellers travelling without a valid ticket in May this year. The most common way of fare evading on Melbourne's bus network was by travelling on a concession fare without a valid concession card.