More often than not, these problems have been created through decision-makers in Sydney and Melbourne having little understanding about their impact on life on jurisdictional edges.

So it comes as a surprise when a statutory body takes into account the peculiar problems faced by border regions.

But this is exactly what the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, more commonly known as IPART, has done with its report into regional and rural bus services in NSW.

Instead of arriving at blanket conclusions and recommendations about bus operations, IPART has acknowledged differences.

“We were specifically asked to consider issues related to travel across borders including concession fares and different eligibility criteria for these fares between states,” IPART explained in its findings.

“We sought stakeholder feedback on current barriers to travel across borders in submissions to our Issues Paper, and held discussions with the Cross Border Commissioner, Transport for NSW and bus operators in border areas.”

As a result, IPART found the three priorities for the bus sector in Albury-Wodonga were different ticketing systems, circuitous routes and concession eligibility.

It has recommended that Border bus operators adopt a ticketing method that allows passengers to buy a ticket for their entire journey, instead of one leg.

IPART also wants fare revenue shared over operators and Public Transport Victoria.

These positions now becoming reality depend on Transport for NSW adopting them.

IPART points out the bus companies providing Albury-Wodonga commuter services, Martins and Dysons, “already have ticketing systems installed, which may only need minor changes to allow them to issue a single ticket for travel across both operators’ areas”.

But as the regional manager for Dysons bus lines Brett Drinnan notes, what can be seen as sensible change may become victim to bureaucratic thinking.

It can be too easy for bigwigs in Sydney or Melbourne to toss anomaly improvements into the too-hard bin.

Let’s hope they can nut out their differences to the benefit of Border travellers on this issue.