THREE bus passengers are paying the price for trying to dodge their fares.
They are having to pay £285 each in fines and costs after being hauled to court by Huddersfield's biggest bus operator.
And bosses at First have vowed: "We won't hesitate to do it again."
The trio were caught trying to use buses without a valid ticket.
They were issued with £35 penalty tickets - and then handed summonses when they failed to pay the excess charge.
Nigel Winter, commercial director for First in Huddersfield, said it was a lesson to other fare dodgers.
He said: "Thousands of pounds of revenue are lost due to fare evasion and fraud every year.
"Passengers who try and avoid paying and are caught, end up paying a lot more than the local bus fare would have cost them."
Mr Winter added that unchecked fraud would cause higher fares.
The three caught in Huddersfield were dealt with at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court.
Maxamed Maxamed, of Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, got on a 363 bus in St George's Square with a Metrocard that had been altered.
Samantha Shillinglaw, of Holme Park Court, Berry Brow, got on service 309 at Berry Brow with an expired FirstDay ticket.
Julie Penn, of Burnsall Avenue, Batley, travelled on the 328 bus from Huddersfield town centre with a Metrocard issued to someone else.
First bosses revealed that £35 penalty tickets were issued last month to 21 passengers found on Huddersfield buses without the correct ticket.
