Suggestions for improving the Go Card!

[#Metro]

But say Translink in QLD and systems in other States problems should be fixed up first and to work how the money goes to who if it is to go Australia wide?

A single technical standard needs to be decided on first. There needs to be an electronic pass wallet. Maybe this is one for Goolge and Apple to crack.

And then you have to work out if you accept travel and buying patterns being tracked?

How is this any different to a bank transaction list or credit card list? They already track everything anyway.

[pandmaster]

So I say it would be impossible to have Gocard usage across Australia.

e-Tag and e-tolling work across Australia. I often visit Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, I have a whole heap of plastic cards (sometimes the card malfunctions, more cards...).

There is a real need for a single card for multipurposes, not just PT but also taxi etc. Driver licence is also smart card. There should just be 1 licence issued valid across Australia.

I have been to Japan a couple of times and the first time there was a fair bit of intolerability between cards from different areas, particularly on JR trains with a JR card from a different area (despite branding, every JR company is independent from the others). The second time I went they had made it almost entirely interoperable across Japan in stores and on trains and buses (I travelled from the southernmost to northernmost station and rarely would my card not be interoperable). I never caught a taxi (why would you need to?) but I believe they are also accepted on them. Restauarants, convenience stores, vending machines and all sorts of places accepted cards from all over Japan, many of which would not have EFTPOS facilities (ironically Japan is largely cash-based). I think it is possible in piddly little Australia to have interoperable cards and expand their use. Hell, you can even get computers with a reader on them to make online purchases!

[ozbob]

Twitter

Tarnya Smith MP ‏@TarnyaSmithMP 2h

A petition req. a GO Card top up machine for Oxley News is now available to sign at Oxley News or my office #qldpol

[dancingmongoose]

Alternatively, walk 150m to the station and top up there!

Would rather see one at Canossa (if they don't already)

[Gazza]

https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/mvv-und-service/der-verbund/pilotprojekt-etarif/index.html?pk_campaign=swipe-ride&pk_source=slider-home

Translate the page in your browser if need be, but Munich are piloting a system where you open and app and commence your travel, and then toggle it off via the app at the end, with a fare based on the straight line distance between your start and end point.

[verbatim9]

^^I guess the new account based system getting implemented can handle improvements like this over time. One should be able to use the app to pay across modes (distance based) including flights when travelling in the same country or union.

And Yes, distance based is the way to go for all forms of transport. It will be inevitable here in Australia, especially when migrating towards electric vehicles.

[Andrew]

I think that Go Card's biggest failing is the fare structure and programming. No daily or weekly caps. Adversarial fare rules and structure towards the customer. Lack of outlets to buy and top up. Ideally we need it to be like the OV Chipkaart in the Netherlands where you can use it on any public transport in the state.

1. Change the fare structure to include daily and weekly caps. You could include programming which, although complex, could work. For the zones you use, it would not charge you more than 2 trips either Off-Peak or Peak. i.e. If both trips are in the off-peak from zone 1-2 and then you do a third in the off-peak, it would be free. If the third was then in the peak, it would cost the difference between the off-peak and peak cap (or the fare, whichever is lesser). The weekly cap could work the same. If you do 5 daily caps for zones 1-2 in a week, then all subsequent travel in those zones would be free. If you then went say to the Gold Coast on the 6th day, you would only pay add on fares essentially. It is a little complicated I admit but it would be fair. The way would be to introduce products for the card like London.

2. The on board programming needs to be better. This would apply mainly to vehicle based readers (i.e. buses and ferries). When you touch on, instead of deducting the fixed fare, it would program a trip from that stop to the last stop. Most bus services are only 2 or 3 zones at most (1 or 2 zone go card fares are less than $5). It would allow you to still get your continuation too if you set it up that way.