Problems on the Go card network Monday 17th November?

[ozbob]

Howdy,

As I passed through Roma St station this morning I observed people trying to touch on being told by staff not to, and travel for free. Apparently system down there and some other locations throughout the network.

Any one able to confirm or add any more information please?

I touched on normally at Oxley this morning and I was able to touch off at Roma St OK.

Strange?

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Some feedback received:

They were announcing over the PA if you could not 'touch on' at your home station do not 'touch off' at Roma street when I came through this morning.

[ozbob]

More feedback:

I saw people struggling at Morningside.   I haven't succumbed to the dark side yet, still on a paper weekly, but there appeared to be numerous attempts at 'touching' met with the wrong kind of beep?

[ozbob]

Received feedback of problems touching on at the Chermside interchange this morning.

Would appear to be wide spread system issues ...

[O_128]

Received feedback of problems touching on at the Chermside interchange this morning.

Would appear to be wide spread system issues ...

Again!

[joedan]

First the Go Card Touch on/off Machines are full of condensation and water at Narangba since the storm. Can't read most of them.

Secondly got off at Burpengary station only to find that the station had no power. Rang the Go Card line, to tell them to manually touch me off at Burpengary. Alas the system has to fine me $5 for not touching off and I get the fare back in a few business days, this is totally unacceptable. The operator said there was no other way, what a badly designed system.

Imagine if this would happen once the fines are increased to $15.

Basically we are penalised for something totally out of our control and there are no procedures in place to rectify the situation immediately.

[ozbob]

Thanks joedan for your comments.

Yes, I have seen more reports of problems with the equipment.  Some due to electrical issues, other just water causing problems.

The rail fixed fare is planned to go to $10 eventually, although with the ongoing issues at the moment it might be a while yet!

[dwb]

Yes, it might be a good idea to implement a system whereby errors can be corrected, but having worked in a bank and understanding the audit issues with this it could prove a procedural nightmare waiting to happen.

People really need to keep in mind, if you can't touch on you don't touch off.

[Mozz]

DWB I understand what you say but unfortunately we have the situation here in sunny qld where the gocard implementation was overshadowed by a much larger campaign to stop people "stealing" by travelling without a valid ticket or gocard - so if you travel on public transport, particularly rail without a valid ticket or gocard then you are deemed to be "stealing" and if you encounter the Translink Transit Officers will stand a very good chance of being hit with at least a "warning" notice (which is recorded against you in whatever system Translink use) or an actual infringement notice form $150 for travelling without a valid ticket or gocard. You may have success in trying to convince TTO's that you were unable to touch on but the current framework places the onus unfairly and squarely on the commuter to prove their case.