9 Sep 2007: Brisbane - Smart card failure Melbourne - smart card success

[ozbob]

RAIL Back On Track - Media Release 9 September 2007

Brisbane:  TRANSLink Smart card a ticketing failure!

Melbourne:  myki smart card  ticketing  a success!

RAIL ? Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail throughout Australia has previously highlighted the mediocre nature of the TRANSLink Smart Card ticketing system. (Reference 1.)

The smart card ticketing system being implemented for Melbourne ? known as  myki has the ticketing options that the TRANSLink Smart Card cannot presently provide, which means huge cost increases for commuters in South East Queensland unless changes are made now. (Reference 2.)

Robert Dow said:

?Why is it that the proposed smart ticketing system for Melbourne, the myki ticketing smart card system, can do things such as if you travel more than once during the same day, myki will re-calculate the best fare for you as a daily fare. Whereas with the TRANSLink system it doesn?t have a daily ticket cap, commuters in south east Queensland will be flogged for every trip??

?The more you travel during the same week, myki will automatically give you the best fare by capping your accrued travel to a weekly fare.  The TRANSLink Smart card system doesn?t have a weekly or monthly capability. Commuters will be forced to pay huge increases in the cost of their travel.?

?Why can they do it Melbourne, but not Brisbane?  I thought Queensland was the Smart State. Queensland is fast becoming the late state!?

?We have been calling for a daily cap threshold, and weekly and monthly options for some time.  Only to be ignored. It is time the Minister for Transport and Main Roads sorted out this fiasco.?

?RAIL Back On Track again calls for the TRANSLink Smart Card to be junked, and a decent system implemented!?

References:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=135.0

2.  http://www.myki.com.au/default.aspx


Contact:

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

Footnote:  According to reports in the Herald Sun the myki project has had delays (nothing like the 4 years for TRANSLink Smart Card).  The point is though that the Melbourne scheme will have daily and weekly automatic defaults ( see --> http://www.myki.com.au/use-myki_best-fare-free-metro.aspx ), something that is really needed with the Brisbane scheme. The only other alternative would be to reduce the fares by 60% for all smart card users.  That way on average, it would be cost neutral for the majority and encourage take-up.