Fare evasion across the Brisbane public transport network has reached epidemic proportions with school bus drivers reporting more than one and a half million instances last financial year.

Translink data shows on some routes the fare evasion rate is 99% and all up the problem is costing taxpayers about $25 million a year.

Tom Brown from the Bus Union tells Mark the drivers are the meat in the sandwich because many children play the “no child left behind” card to get a free ride.

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