10-trip paper tickets to be axed in favour of Go Card

[ozbob]

Main thread on 10 trippers withdrawal is here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1097.0

From the Courier Mail click here!

10-trip paper tickets to be axed in favour of Go Card

10-trip paper tickets to be axed in favour of Go Card
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Patrick Lion

August 02, 2008 12:00am

THE death knell for public transport paper ticketing is looming as the popular 10-trip saver is banished forever after this weekend.
Commuters are being left in the dark over details of the phase-out of traditional paper forms as more bus, train and ferry passengers move across to the Go Card.

Newsagents are furious over the removal of the 10-trip saver products from Monday, with some operators estimating annual revenue losses in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Ten-trip savers are popular for their flexibility, with no expiry date compared to the discounts on Go Card fares for the remainder of each week after taking six journeys.

Translink yesterday defended the move, claiming 10-trip savers were suffering processing failures about 800 times a week.

"The timetable for the withdrawal of any further integrated paper ticket products will be contingent on the take-up rate of Go Card and feedback from public transport customers," the spokesman said.

But problems are still plaguing the Go Card with machines at Fairfield station the latest casualty yesterday, slugging commuters with penalties for failing to "touch off" properly.

Opposition transport spokesman Tim Nicholls said the scrapping of the 10-trip tickets would result in TransLink ticket outlets being cut from 300 to 165.

"Not only will commuters be left with fewer ticketing options, but the availability will be cut by half," Mr Nicholls said.

Demanding the State Government allow more points of sale, Australian Newsagents Federation state director Bradley Dean said an average operator was about to lose commissions of about $15,000 a year.

"They are hurting about this and are disappointed because they can't understand the logic behind restricting access for commuters," Mr Dean said.

The contract with Cubic Transportation Systems stated paper tickets would be gone once the smartcard arrived, but alterations allowed it to continue beyond the roll-out.

[ozbob]

I think it is very important that the new go card users be given a 'no question' amnesty period for refund of penalties and weird fares as detailed our media release of  1 Aug 2008: SEQ: Go card call for three month ?amnesty? for new go card users

The three months would start from the day the card is first used.
There will be  a lot of problems with new users on the buses.  There are still a lot of ongoing issues being reported all over the system, but of concern is still the problems with readers etc. on buses.  Even reports of people being physically pushed out of the way before they can touch off!