17 Feb 2008: SEQ - Is Go Card spin ?concocted??

[ozbob]

Media Release 17 February 2008

SEQ:  Is Go Card spin ?concocted??

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport has again called for an urgent review of the Go Card frequent user fare scheme.

On the 16th February the Sunshine Coast Daily published an article on some of the cost impacts of the Go Card fare structure on north coast rail commuters' transport costs.  In that article it is reported that that a Translink spokesman said the Go Card was designed for 5 day a week commuters. The article was in fact highlighting the cost impacts on the very commuters that the Go Card was designed for according to Translink!

This again demonstrates the failure to properly understand the cost impacts of the frequent user scheme, and follows on from Minister Mickel?s comments on 612 ABC Brisbane 5th February. When the Minister was queried on the point that some would pay more using the Go Card than paper tickets his response was that you could always "concoct" stories!  It would actually appear that Government and Translink spin is ?concocted? and not the demonstrated fare impacts.

Robert Dow said:

?The Translink Go Card is progressively being rolled out north of Brisbane.?

?Commuters are waking up to the significance of the high cost frequent user fare scheme.  RAIL Back On Track has previously highlighted some of the impacts of this inequitable fare structure (1).?

?The commuters that will suffer significant fare increases using the Go Card are as follows:

    * school children on the school buses
    * weekly ticket and monthly ticket users
    * seasonal rail pass users
    * former ten trip ticket users
    * daily multiple trip users
    * off peak travellers
    * and many Monday to Friday commuters!

Clearly the bulk of public transport commuters in south-east Queensland.?

?Calls have been made previously for guarantees that no commuters would be worse off using the Go Card.  Clearly this is not the case and explains the non response to these calls.?

?We are also reminded by Translink and others that commuters have a choice between the Go Card and the integrated paper ticketing.  This is the case now, but attempts to get a straight answer to the question  ?Will paper tickets be retained indefinitely or until such time as equivalent are available on the Go Card??  remain unanswered.?

?We have been told paper tickets will be available for the time being, no guarantees at all for the longer term.  All the more reason why an equitable fare structure is required on the Go Card.?

?I have conducted a short trial using the Go Card on bus, rail and CityCat this past week (2). The Go Card could be a huge positive for public transport. Other smart card transport ticketing systems in use, for example London and Perth, provide real incentives for uptake which just reflect the improvements in the efficiency of public transport and cost savings that can be achieved by a high uptake of the card.?

?The Translink Go Card frequent user scheme is a failure.  Base fares on the card should be reduced by 25%, retain the broad principle of the frequent user scheme and this would then provide an equitable fare and incentive to uptake. This would be easy to implement and would make the Go Card cost neutral for most relative to the present paper integrated ticketing.?

?RAIL Back On Track strongly supports the Go Card but not the fare structure.  If uptake of the card was greater than 90% there would be great efficiency gains and savings for our public transport systems.?

?The Go Card is presently a wasted opportunity because of the bizarre fare structure on the card and is very disappointing to many because of this,? said Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

References:

1. Go Card users do your sums!  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=443.0

2. My Go Card Trial. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=486.0

Contact:

Robert  Dow

Administration
admin@backontrack.org RAIL Back On Track
http://backontrack.org