1 Nov 2007: Smart card frequent traveller discount and bonus

[ozbob]

Media Release 1 November 2007

SEQ:  Smart card frequent traveller discount and bonus

RAIL ? Back On Track (http://backontrack.org)  a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail throughout Australia has congratulated Translink, Cubic and the Queensland Government on the announcement of the Smart card frequent traveller details.

Robert Dow said that:

?RAIL Back On Track has been very concerned that an equitable outcome be achieved for the community when the TransLink Smart card is rolled out across the network.?

?Today?s statement by the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations The Honourable John Mickel is very welcome news to all public transport commuters.?

?Having the frequent traveller discount at 50% effectively after 3 days travel will for most users replicate weekly ticket costs and approximate 10 ten trip costs and be cost neutral.  We have previously suggested that the frequent traveller discount should be about 50% to make it cost neutral for most.?

?The bonus of reduced travel cost for all zones after the 6 trip threshold has been reached is also great news.  This will further encourage public transport use and help ease traffic congestion.?

?By providing Smart cards free of charge apart from the initial deposit will also encourage uptake of the cards.?

?This is an excellent outcome for the vast majority of  Translink commuters!  Well done!?

Contact:

Robert Dow

admin@backontrack.org
Administration RAIL Back On Track

Later footnote 6 Feb 2008:

It is a great shame that the base fare rates were kept at the same rate as paper. If there had been a 20 to 25% discount relative to paper the FU scheme as first described would have worked out well, and we were very optimistic that this would be the case back in November.

We pointed this out at the time when the broad details of the scheme were realised -->

3 Nov 2007: Smart card base fare rates should be discounted
--> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=286.0

2 Nov 2007: SEQ: Call for occasional trip Smart card option
--> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=285.0

Unfortunately there have been no additions/changes to the original FU scheme.  This is why many people are now clearly not happy with the fare increases.

[ozbob]

From  http://www.translink.com.au/qt/transLin.nsf/Index/smartcard_frequentuser
Accessed 20 Nov 2007

Regardless of whether you travel by bus, train or ferry, smart card will provide a 50% discount on every trip taken after your sixth journey made in a seven day period from Monday to Sunday.

This means customers who travel to and from work each day will pay the same as on a ten trip ticket, but with the added benefit of being able to travel across the network.

At the moment, passengers only receive the benefit of ten trip ticket discounts on certain bus lines and the benefit does not apply at all on the rail network.

This is just the first product that will be offered to passengers through the smart card.

It is primarily targeted at regular commuters, who make up the majority of public transport users. TransLink will continue to develop new products that will be offered through smart card into the future.

Single, daily, off-peak daily, weekly and monthly paper tickets will still be available. If customers prefer to continue travelling on these tickets, they can.

Please note, the frequent user scheme will come into effect following the completion of the TransLink smart card pilot. Pilot participants will continue to receive the pilot discount until the conclusion of the pilot.

Note: "This is just the first product that will be offered to passengers through the smart card."

It is important to consider the introduction of an occasional trip option (cost minus 20%) this would replicate 10-trip ticketing and would be cost neutral for the occasional user, and an option of weekly/monthly ticketing options as well. No one would be disadvantaged and would encourage maximum uptake of the card.

[ozbob]

We are still waiting for more options on the Go Card.

Although the FU scheme is essentially cost neutral relative to weekly ticket for Mon to Fri 10 trip commuters zone 10 or less, there are many commuters do not fit this model.  Although not in the majority the people who  will be financially penalised if they use the Go Card are perhaps the very ones who should have access to affordable public transport. 

There is an urgent need to introduce options that better suit all commuters and that will then help drive maximum uptake, with maximum benefit to public transport efficiency.