Announcement .. 'don't get angry, get even' fare campaign ..

[Simon Lovell]

Adelaide's 28 day Metro card pass is also very good for the regular PT user --> https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/28-Day-Pass/Fare-Comparisons

Before they had that, they had no frequent user discount.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2

[ozbob]

Adelaide fares are very reasonable, they are certainly trying to drive patronage with the new ticketing additions.

Kazzac, Canberra do some interesting things with the fares agreed --> http://www.action.act.gov.au/fares

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

30th June 2014

Rorting ...

Greetings,

Some interesting comments in this statement:

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2014/6/30/new-card-stamps-out-transport-rort

New card stamps out transport rort

Pretending to be a full time student when actually not, is not a rort, it is actually fare evasion.

The Government fixing this fare evasion opportunity is a good move.

However ..

" ... "For years, passengers have raised concerns about "students in suits" where former students who are no longer enrolled in full-time courses continue to use their old ID to get cheap travel.

"That is unfair to honest passengers and rorting puts more upward pressure on fare ... "

Today, on the public transport network, many people will deliberately be taking short lunch time one stop trips to offset high cost journeys later in the week.  This is rorting and is a consequence of our failed fare system in SEQ.

The correct thing do would be to close off this rort by fixing the failed fare system.  It is costing a lot of foregone fare revenue.

Our transport authorities suffer from double-think!

Don't forget to touch off!

Best wishes
Robert

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


SEQ: Fare affordability crisis worsens http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10748.msg142599#msg142599

Rort = Work (a system) to obtain the greatest benefit while remaining within the letter of the law.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/rort

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd July 2014

Seniors, ride the G: for free!

Greetings,

Most public transport  jurisdictions in Australia either have simple flat fares for Seniors or allow them to travel free out of peak.  Here in south-east Queensland, Seniors have a daily complete two paid journeys then travel free cap on the go card card.  This cap favours Seniors who are served by frequent public transport services, as they can easily complete two short paid journeys (each journey needs to be separated by an hour if the same or adjoining zones).  Others need to be a little more inventive to achieve the two paid journeys.

One Monday last, I travelled to the Gold Coast and rode the G: light rail and some buses, all for free, apart from my inbound journey from Goodna to the Valley.  I am a Senior.  As I live at Goodna I need to be a little smart on achieving the two paid journeys quickly. I have secondary go card which can be used to break up a journey into a number of trips.

On Monday, I touched on at Goodna rail with my Seniors Go card and travelled to Darra.  I then touched off - this is a zone 5 to zone 4  peak fare of $2.07 (2 zone concession fare).  I then touched on with a secondary go card and travelled to Central.  At Central I touched off with my secondary go card and then back on with my Seniors go card and travelled to Fortitude Valley (zone one to zone one).  As this second journey is separated by 2 or more zones another journey is initiated.  I then touched off at Fortitude Valley, a one zone peak concession fare of $1.77.  I then need to wait one hour (the transfer time limit) and I have then achieved the two paid journey cap.  From that point travel is free.

My Seniors go card history is below.  Isn't this farcical?  Many Seniors, understandably have trouble understanding these concepts and just give up in despair.  All the other jurisdictions in Australia do the fair thing, simple flat fares or free travel.  Queensland, the fare system is just a big mess.

This is just another example of why the failed fare system needs to be sorted out.

My Seniors Go card history for my day out to the Gold Coast.

21 Jul 2014
06:28 AM    Goodna    06:43 AM    Darra    $ 2.07         $ 32.77
07:07 AM    Central    07:13 AM    Fortitude Valley    $ 1.77         $ 31.00
08:18 AM    Fortitude Valley    09:38 AM    Helensvale    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
09:39 AM    Helensvale station stop D    10:00 AM    GCUH platform 4    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
10:03 AM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    10:49 AM    Broadbeach South    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
11:00 AM    Broadbeach South    11:29 AM    Southport    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
12:09 PM    Southport    12:20 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
12:38 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    01:04 PM    Cavill Avenue    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
01:42 PM    Cavill Avenue    01:55 PM    Southport    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:19 PM    Southport    02:33 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:39 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    02:40 PM    Cancel Touch On    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:47 PM    Griffith University    03:04 PM    Helensvale station stop C    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
03:09 PM    Helensvale    05:08 PM    Goodna    $ 0.00         $ 31.00

Have a great day!  Don't forget to touch off!

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times published 25th July 2014 page 15

Public transport fares complicated for seniors

[ozbob]

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/opal-card-pop-kiosks-now-located-28-major-sydney-stations

The $2.50-daily-capped Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card will be released later this year ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

28th July 2014

Re: Seniors, ride the G: for free!

Greetings,

NSW with the Opal card are at least doing the right thing for Seniors:

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/opal-card-pop-kiosks-now-located-28-major-sydney-stations

Quote

    The $2.50-daily-capped Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card will be released later this year ...

Not rocket science is it?

Best wishes
Robert


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

Sent to all outlets:

23rd July 2014

Seniors, ride the G: for free!

Greetings,

Most public transport  jurisdictions in Australia either have simple flat fares for Seniors or allow them to travel free out of peak.  Here in south-east Queensland, Seniors have a daily complete two paid journeys then travel free cap on the go card card.  This cap favours Seniors who are served by frequent public transport services, as they can easily complete two short paid journeys (each journey needs to be separated by an hour if the same or adjoining zones).  Others need to be a little more inventive to achieve the two paid journeys.

One Monday last, I travelled to the Gold Coast and rode the G: light rail and some buses, all for free, apart from my inbound journey from Goodna to the Valley.  I am a Senior.  As I live at Goodna I need to be a little smart on achieving the two paid journeys quickly. I have secondary go card which can be used to break up a journey into a number of trips.

On Monday, I touched on at Goodna rail with my Seniors Go card and travelled to Darra.  I then touched off - this is a zone 5 to zone 4  peak fare of $2.07 (2 zone concession fare).  I then touched on with a secondary go card and travelled to Central.  At Central I touched off with my secondary go card and then back on with my Seniors go card and travelled to Fortitude Valley (zone one to zone one).  As this second journey is separated by 2 or more zones another journey is initiated.  I then touched off at Fortitude Valley, a one zone peak concession fare of $1.77.  I then need to wait one hour (the transfer time limit) and I have then achieved the two paid journey cap.  From that point travel is free.

My Seniors go card history is below.  Isn't this farcical?  Many Seniors, understandably have trouble understanding these concepts and just give up in despair.  All the other jurisdictions in Australia do the fair thing, simple flat fares or free travel.  Queensland, the fare system is just a big mess.

This is just another example of why the failed fare system needs to be sorted out.

My Seniors Go card history for my day out to the Gold Coast.

21 Jul 2014
06:28 AM    Goodna    06:43 AM    Darra    $ 2.07         $ 32.77
07:07 AM    Central    07:13 AM    Fortitude Valley    $ 1.77         $ 31.00
08:18 AM    Fortitude Valley    09:38 AM    Helensvale    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
09:39 AM    Helensvale station stop D    10:00 AM    GCUH platform 4    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
10:03 AM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    10:49 AM    Broadbeach South    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
11:00 AM    Broadbeach South    11:29 AM    Southport    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
12:09 PM    Southport    12:20 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
12:38 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    01:04 PM    Cavill Avenue    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
01:42 PM    Cavill Avenue    01:55 PM    Southport    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:19 PM    Southport    02:33 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:39 PM    Gold Coast University Hospital Station    02:40 PM    Cancel Touch On    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
02:47 PM    Griffith University    03:04 PM    Helensvale station stop C    $ 0.00         $ 31.00
03:09 PM    Helensvale    05:08 PM    Goodna    $ 0.00         $ 31.00

Have a great day!  Don't forget to touch off!

Best wishes
Robert

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

[Simon Lovell]

Not surprising. That's the same price as the existing pet. Ridiculously discounted, although I guess you disagree with the last part.

[ozbob]

Not necessarily, it is the flat fare that makes sense.  I am not surprised they kept the Opal Seniors cap at $2.50, will ramp it a bit after transition I expect.

Melbourne has a flat fare cap of $3.90, I don't think people would mind a reasonable flat fare cap here in go land.  Melbourne Seniors are happy with the cap down there (remember free travel on weekends/PH for them).

The cheapest theoretical seniors cap on the go card is $2.84.  Two off peak one zoners ...  and I know a few who do just that .. 

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

got a go card? go often go early > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg136884#msg136884 ... #qldpol http://twitpic.com/ebnfq3

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane fare cut won't stop rorts

Brisbane fare cut won't stop rorts

Cutting public transport fares by five per cent will not stop GoCard users rorting the system, according to advocacy group Rail Back on Track.

Premier Campbell Newman announced on Sunday Queensland's $30 million in carbon tax savings would fund a reduction from November 3, as well as a fare freeze in 2015.

The move would see a peak zone one GoCard fare drop 18 cents, and a peak zone 2 GoCard fare drop 21 cents.

Robert Dow from Rail Back on Track said they were grateful for "small mercies", but only true fare and network reform would increase public transport use.

He said the Newman government should ditch its policy of allowing unlimited free trips on the Translink network once nine paid ones have been taken.

"There's a growing trend of city workers taking short bus trips during their breaks, so that by Wednesday they're travelling for free," Mr Dow said.

"If people are forced to do that to ameliorate the cost of travel, there is something really wrong with the system."

Mr Dow said there was nothing illegal about rorting, and the government even celebrated an estimated 80,000 free trips being taken each week.

"Most of the free trips are just the tenth trip where people are going home on a Friday, it's not really driving public transport use," he said.

"The only figures I've seen indicated that there was an increase earlier on in the week, which means that people are starting to learn to rort."

Mr Dow said lowering base ticket prices and introducing daily and weekly caps would encourage people to use bus, train and ferry services, which would flow onto reduced road congestion and risks of accidents, and improve health.

Drastic public transport price hikes began under the former Labor government in 2010.

After winning office in 2012, Campbell Newman cut scheduled 15 per cent annual increases to 7.5 per cent, and said this latest cut would put more money back in residents' pockets.

"What this means is that a mum or dad travelling to work in the Brisbane CBD from the Gold Coast will save more than $297 a year, or nearly $2000 compared to what they would have paid under Labor," he said.

But Griffith University senior political lecturer Paul Williams said the government should avoid playing the Labor "blame game" to create cost of living savings.

"There's a lot of scepticism in the electorate when governments start blaming previous administrations," he said.

"Usually by the time that first 12 months is over, the electorate says hey, this is your government, this is your budget."

Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk slammed the cut as an election sweetener.

"After the election, this government will privatise our assets," she said.

"They want to sell off our electricity network, they want to sell off our public transport network. You cannot trust this government, they are mean and they are tricky."

The 2012 Commission of Audit recommended "restructuring services to be delivered through contestable contracts under franchise and lease arrangements" to offset the cost burden of subsidising public transport.

Dr Williams said that was a different thing to asset sales.

"I would doubt the government would try and privatise given the beating they'd had every time they've mentioned asset sales to this point," he said.

"Economically in reality it probably won't happen, but it's a good rhetorical device for Labor to use to drum up a bit of fear."

[#Metro]

Queensland Politicians and The Political Class are a real act.

Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk slammed the cut as an election sweetener.

"After the election, this government will privatise our assets," she said.

"They want to sell off our electricity network, they want to sell off our public transport network. You cannot trust this government, they are mean and they are tricky."

Peter Beattie flatly denied and said over and over that 'Queensland Rail was not for sale', and then began to restructure QR internally. When Anna Bligh came to power, what happened? QR was sold off on the ASX. Next they froze fares because the election was on, then they put up fares the following year a full 20%, then after that sequential 15% cost explosions. Then started the freebies - 10 then waste.

Don't get me started on BCC-Fifedom, which while objecting to private operators, had 19 privatised CityCats floating in the Brisbane river and was reveald to have entered into private contracting with 5 private bus companies and outsourced some 140 BUZ trips.

People in 'glass houses should not throw stones' as the saying goes.

[techblitz]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/no-need-for-fare-freeze-translink-20111115-1nhbf.html

who remmebers that article 

[ozbob]

Some examples, using post 2 Nov 2014 fares ...  lunch time zoners.

A commuter catches the 524 bus from Curnow St to Goodna rail, train to Roma St.  This is  6 zone journey, peak fare go card adult is $6.69.

So if commuter does this journey to and from work each day, cost for the week is 9 x $6.69 = $60.21  (10th journey home is ' free ' )

If the commuter does a one stop bus ride each lunch time M T W, cost is $8.04, off peak fare go card adult so costs in fares $2.68 x 3 = $8.04

So cost of travel to reach 9 paid journey threshold is $6.69 x 6 = $40.14 + $8.04 = $48.18

So already ahead $60.21 - $48.18 = $12.03  Person can now though not only travel for free to work Thursday and Fridays and weekends but could do more travel on Thursday and Friday as well for free.

As zone length of journey increases savings become much more significant.

For example a 15 zone journey, peak go card adult  cost $13.09

Do three lunch time zoners costs is $8.04

Cost then $13.09 x 6 = $8.04 + $78.54 = $86.58

Compared to 9 x $13.09 = $117.81 for a standard weekly commute .. so three one stop bus trips at lunch saves $31.23 each week.

This leakage cannot be sustained.  If forces the base fare costs up!

You see, the fare system is a farce ... don't get angry, get even ...

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Easy to ' save ' with the go hey? > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg148303#msg148303 ... #teamgorort enjoy!! #qldpol

[ozbob]

Seniors, a recent example of using the two paid journey daily cap to enjoy free travel ... the two card trick!

Seniors Go card

29 Oct 2014

05:48 AM    Top up/Adjustment  ( Goodna )         $ 20.00    $ 20.00
05:48 AM    Goodna    05:57 AM    Darra    $ 2.07         $ 17.93
06:19 AM    Milton    06:45 AM    Roma Street    $ 1.77         $ 16.16
08:18 AM    Roma Street    09:57 AM    Landsborough    $ 0.00         $ 16.16
10:43 AM    Landsborough    11:35 AM    Nambour    $ 0.00         $ 16.16
03:01 PM    Nambour    05:34 PM    Goodna    $ 0.00         $ 16.16


Secondary concession go card used Darra - Milton

29 Oct 2014
05:57 AM    Darra    06:19 AM    Milton    $ 2.46         $ 23.51

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Do you go often? I do .. > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg148303#msg148303 ... #teamgorort #qldpol #farefailSEQ very silly fare system indeed!

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow now

Monday! Go forth & rort! > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg148303#msg148303 ... #teamgorort #qldpol #auspol very silly fare system #farefailSEQ

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 21s

Tuesday, going free? > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg148303#msg148303 ... #teamgorort #qldpol #farefailSEQ #rortisnotadirtyword either is eGO ha!

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 1m

Monday #teamgorort excited? > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10444.msg148303#msg148303 ... go forth !!  #farefailSEQ #qldpol be wise, go early go often!



===============

^ newest member of #teamgorort .. 

[ozbob]

Hansard Parliamentary Estimates 19th August 2015

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2015/2015_08_19_EstimatesIPC.pdf

Mr EMERSON: Director-General, how many passengers benefit from the free trips after nine
journeys?
Mr Scales: I thank the member for Indooroopilly for the question. For nine and free?
Mr EMERSON: For nine and free, yes.
Mr Scales: There is a table. On Monday of every week—and these are averages, for the benefit
of the committee—there are 36 go cards that benefit for nine and free. By Tuesday, on average there
are 674. By Wednesday, there are 2,601. By Thursday, there are 10,607. By Friday, there are 56,789.
By Saturday, there are 66,878. By Sunday, there are 73,782. They are go cards that have met the nine
and free threshold. The number of cards used I can also read out for the benefit of the committee if the
chair wishes.

  go #teamgorort

[pandmaster]

Wow! Those are some significant numbers.

[#Metro]

WHAT?! Reading this and the Estimates/TCC threads made my eyes hurt! 

Money is just being p%ssed  away!

[dancingmongoose]

36 on monday alone, some people have too much free time on their hands!

Do we have numbers for seniors 2 trip cap as well?

[ozbob]

36 on monday alone, some people have too much free time on their hands!

Do we have numbers for seniors 2 trip cap as well?

No.  Although a cluster around Goodna has been noted ...   

Hopefully with the new ' data transparency ' this sort of thing will be readily available. 

I understand though it is not  that signficant like the 9 and free.   It is difficult to rack up 9 paid journeys and then free on Seniors card because the two and free acts as a cap of sorts.  The number of journeys on a day is really self limited to a certain extent. Seniors tend to travel one or two days a week as a rule.

[aldonius]

By Friday-Saturday everyone with a go card who's made two trips each weekday should qualify. We also know there are about 3 million go card trips each week.

The paid trips from cards meeting the 9-then-free threshold account for about 664,000 trips each week. Out of 3 million. That's a lot of senior trips, or people doing way more than 9 a week, or people doing less.

[ozbob]

The data above is expressly go cards that reach 9 and free trip threshold on the days.  As explained it is difficult to get to 9 and free on a Seniors card because Seniors do not travel each weekday as rule ( a few do but not that many).  A normal go card you can travel free, 9 and free from Monday and data confirms some do.  A senior needs to do  two paid journeys on each week day and then one paid journey on Friday to actually get to the 9 and free.  Very very few Seniors do that.  So under 9 and free a Senior cannot access that until Friday at the earliest.  But they don't bother.  Some will get a few extra trips on the daily two paid journey and free on a few days but compared to the 9 and free is not that significant as I understand it.

[aldonius]

I understand the Senior stuff, I was just expecting the number of people who qualified for 9TF each week to be substantially higher.

Also, by those days, not on those days - it's a cumulative total that's been given AFAICT.

[ozbob]

Yes, it is cumulative.  What would also be very interesting is the actual number of free trips ( and the zones travelled) on given days. 

[ozbob]

Hansard Parliamentary Estimates 19th August 2015

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2015/2015_08_19_EstimatesIPC.pdf

Mr EMERSON: Director-General, how many passengers benefit from the free trips after nine
journeys?
Mr Scales: I thank the member for Indooroopilly for the question. For nine and free?
Mr EMERSON: For nine and free, yes.
Mr Scales: There is a table. On Monday of every week—and these are averages, for the benefit
of the committee—there are 36 go cards that benefit for nine and free. By Tuesday, on average there
are 674. By Wednesday, there are 2,601. By Thursday, there are 10,607. By Friday, there are 56,789.
By Saturday, there are 66,878. By Sunday, there are 73,782. They are go cards that have met the nine
and free threshold. The number of cards used I can also read out for the benefit of the committee if the
chair wishes.

  go #teamgorort

Sydney is killing its 8 and free on the Opal.  Massive fare box drain.  Only a matter of time for the go I reckon ...